CND has welcomed Jeremy Corbyn’s strong recommitment to nuclear disarmament, received with enormous applause, during his first leader’s speech to the Labour Party conference. The Labour leader also made clear that the issue would be fully and openly debated within the Party.
He also laid out his commitment to peaceful resolution to conflict: he praised the Iran nuclear deal as an example of a political response to proliferation, and said that more diplomacy and a stronger UN will be needed to solve the crisis in Syria.
Kate Hudson, CND general secretary, said:
“Jeremy Corbyn made clear that he has a mandate to take forward his opposition to Trident. He has shown that he is committed to winning the debate on Trident. We are delighted that he used his first speech to persuade delegates of the need to adopt a different policy on nuclear weapons.”
“It is essential that the Labour Party now has that open debate so that a new policy can be decided, in line with Britain’s current security needs. If this debate is won – and I have every confidence that it can be – there is a hugely increased opportunity that Britain will finally end its expensive, immoral and dangerous addiction to nuclear weapons.”