11 December 2006: for immediate release

This morning activists sent a strong message to the government against its plans for replacing Trident, Britain’s nuclear weapons system, by blocking the Home Office gate at the Aldermaston Atomic Weapons Establishment for two hours. The blockade, organised by Block the Builders and supported by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, caused a three-mile tailback and led to numerous construction vehicles, including a cement mixer, being turned away.

Seven activists were arrested at Aldermaston for blocking access to the gate, including Mell Harrison, CND Eastern Region Campaigns Officer. Also this morning, 21 people were arrested at the Faslane Naval Base in Scotland, where Britain’s Trident submarines are based, as part of the Faslane 365 protest action (see note 5). The action at Faslane caused a tailback of many miles, from Faslane to Helensburgh.

Kate Hudson, Chair of CND, said, ‘Today’s actions at Aldermaston and Faslane indicate that the level of resistance to Trident replacement continues to grow (see note 3). The government must listen to the British people, the majority of whom do not want our country to build a new generation of nuclear weapons.’

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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 32,000 members in the UK. CND campaigns for the abolition of all nuclear weapons everywhere. www.cnduk.org
5. For more information and photos of Faslane 365, go to www.faslane365.org