PRESS RELEASE
CND Condemns Defence Secretary's Failure to Answer Important Questions
on Trident
6 February 2007: for immediate release
The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament condemned Defence Secretary Des
Browne for his evasiveness in his testimony to the Defence Select Committee
earlier today.
Some of the many topics evaded by Browne included absolute cost figures
for a Trident replacement and scenarios in which Britain’s nuclear
weapons would actually be used.
Browne only spoke of Trident replacement costs in terms of a percentage
of the total defence budget, and would not specify what represents Britain’s
‘vital interests’ even though the government repeatedly used
this term in the white paper to describe when Trident or its replacement
would be used.
Kate Hudson, Chair of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, said, ‘It
is shameful that our Defence Secretary has not given MPs and the British
people answers to many questions of vital importance on Trident replacement.
The government must provide information transparently, and must allow
a full consultation where all options, including non-replacement, are
considered.’
CND, the Stop the War Coalition, and the British Muslim Initiative are
organising a national demonstration in London on Saturday 24th February,
calling for ‘No Trident’ and ‘Troops Home from Iraq.’
It is expected to be Britain’s largest anti-nuclear demonstration
in decades.
end
Notes to Editor:
1. For further information and interviews please contact Rick Wayman,
CND's Press & Communications Officer, on 0207 7002350 or 07968 420859
2. An ICM poll from June 2006 showed that 81% of the British public believes
that any decision on Trident replacement should be made by Parliament,
not the Prime Minister alone. Click here
for a full copy of the poll.
3. According to a July 2006 ICM poll, 59% of the British public opposes
a replacement of Trident when presented with a cost of at least £25
billion. Click here
for a full copy of the poll.
4. 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
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