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Czech shadow foreign minister visiting London to discuss US missile defence PDF Print E-mail

Fri 18 January 2008: For immediate release

Czech shadow foreign minister and leading Social Democrat MP, Lubomír Zaorálek, will be visiting London next week to discuss US plans for Missile Defence and the hosting of bases in both the Czech Republic and the UK.

He will be meeting Jim Murphy MP junior Foreign Office Minister, Mike Gapes MP the Labour Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee and Tony Lloyd MP, Chair of the Parliamentary Labour Party as well as addressing a public meeting in Parliament organised by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.

The US wants to build a radar base at Brdy in the Czech Republic and an interceptor missile base at Gorsko in Poland. These bases will play an integral role in the US Missile Defence system, alongside Fylingdales radar station and the US satellite monitoring and communications interception base at Menwith Hill which the government granted permission for use in the system last summer.

Polls show that a clear majority, around 70% [see note 2], of Czechs are opposed to the US base and the opposition Social Democrats have demanded a national referendum on the subject. Opinion polls are now repeatedly showing that the Social Democrats are clearly ahead of the governing Civic Democrats in terms of popular support [see note 3].

Gordon Brown stands alone amongst leaders of Labour’s sister parties in Europe, who are critical of the system [see note 4].

A debate last Thursday in the House of Lords saw the government widely criticised – including by former Blair advisor Lord (Anthony) Giddens – for only making the announcement on the use of Menwith Hill the day before Parliament dispersed for the summer break. [see note 5].

Polls show that a majority of British people think hosting Missile Defence bases in Europe will make them less safe and also wish to see a Parliamentary vote on the issue, rather than just a Government decision [poll results in note 6].

Mr Zaorálek will address a CND meeting alongside former Defence Minister Peter Kilfoyle MP, Jon Trickett MP, Jeremy Corbyn MP and CND Chair Kate Hudson. Journalists are welcome to attend the meeting, which is at 7pm on Tuesday 22nd January 2008 in the Grimond Room, Portcullis House, Bridge St, Westminster.

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Notes to Editors:

  1. For further information and interviews please contact Ben Soffa, CND's Press & Communications Officer, on +44(0)207 7002350 or +44(0)7968 420859.
  2. See http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D8U1RN180.htm.
  3. See recent polls from 4th January at http://www.praguemonitor.com/en/245/czech_politics/16712/ and 26th December at http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/view/29461/czech_opposition_cssd_has_seven_point_lead%20.
  4. Statement agreed at a meeting of leaders of Labour's sister parties in Germany, Austria, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Slovenia, ‘For a new policy of détente’ at http://www.socdem.cz/setkani-socdem-lidru/s13197 and quotes from leading members of Germany’s SPD can be found at http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,2388758,00.html.
  5. The House of Lords debate can be read at http://www.theyworkforyou.com/lords/?id=2008-01-10a.949.8
  6. On the question of whether "the UK's support and involvement in the US National Missile Defence programme, including the stationing of US radar and communications bases in Yorkshire should be decided by the UK Parliament" 68% agreed, with only 14% disagreeing. 18% did not know. 54% of the public agree (compared with 24% who disagree) that "the siting of US missiles and early warning bases in the UK, Poland and the Czech Republic as part of the US National Missile Defence programme, increases the security threat faced by the UK and Europe." 22% did not know either way. Figures from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2,049 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 26th - 30th July 2007. Full figures at http://www.cnduk.org/pages/nmdpoll0807.xls.
  7. The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) is one of Europe’s biggest single-issue peace campaigns, with over 35,000 members in the UK. CND campaigns for the abolition of all nuclear weapons everywhere. www.cnduk.org.