CND Annual Conference, 15th and 16th October, University of Westminster,
309 Regent Street, London W1. Nearest tube Oxford Circus.

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament Vice-President, Walter Wolfgang (82) called being “manhandled” out of Labour Party Conference on Wednesday "a small issue" compared with the invasion of Iraq and the forthcoming decision on replacing Trident. Unlike the Labour Party Conference both of these issues will be debated in full at CND’s annual conference next month, where Mr Wolfgang will be in attendance. Britain’s largest peace campaign will be holding its annual conference on the 15th and 16th October in London’s University of Westminster. The conference will see peace campaigners from across the country coming together to shape the campaigning agenda for the peace movement in the year ahead.

CND is at the centre of the peace and anti-war movement and has played a crucial role in mobilising the vast opposition to the war on Iraq and the aggressive pre-emptive war policies of our government. Effective opposition to these policies will be central to discussion. CND is Britain’s leading anti-nuclear organisation and much of the debate will focus on the developments taking place around Britain’s nuclear arsenal and how CND will be campaigning to prevent new nuclear weapons and a replacement for Trident.

Kate Hudson, Chair of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament,

“Defence Secretary John Reid and Prime Minister Tony Blair both apologised today for the treatment of Mr Wolfgang. They should be apologising to the Iraqi people for the invasion and destruction of their country and to the British people for undermining their civil liberties. We have great concerns about freedom of speech in this country and this kind of thing only makes it worse. At CND’s annual conference next month we will be discussing these issues in full. We will debate the pressing issue of Trident replacement and the aggressive foreign policies of Blair’s government.”

The conference will hear from leading campaigners and politicians including US peace and anti war campaigner Dr. Joseph Gerson, Director of Programs and Director of the Peace and Economic Security Program for the American Friends Service Committee in New England.

ends

Notes to Editor:

1. For press access to the conference and interviews with speakers contact Ruth Tanner CND's Press & Communications Officer on 0207 7002350 or 07968 420859

2. CND Conference information – issues to be debated - http://www.cnduk.org/pages/conf05.pdf

3. Trident Replacement Briefing - http://www.cnduk.org/pages/binfo/Tdtrep.pdf -Britain’s nuclear weapon system Trident will reach the end of its lifespan in the 2020s and a decision on replacement will have to be taken in this parliament. Reports suggest that a decision to replace it has already been taken, although the government denies this. No parliamentary debate has yet taken place yet massive building work has already begun at the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston. Replacement options suggest that the government is looking to replace Trident with a system that is usable. It looks as if the government is following the US down the dangerous path of new ‘tactical’ nuclear weapons to use on the battlefield. Replacing Trident would come at an estimated cost of £15 billion. The UK would be breaking its commitments under the Non-Proliferation Treaty and would further increase global instability.

3. For CND’s response to the treatment of Walter Wolfgang at this years Labour Party Conference.