Former UN weapons inspector Hans Blix said in 2013 that ‘the UK will not be more protected if it extends life of Trident [the UK’s nuclear weapons system], at a cost of £100bn.’

‘Delivering the 2013 Joseph Rotblat lecture to an audience of 1,600 festival goers, Blix said Washington “was not pushing for this costly rearmament” and asked if Trident was “required to protect UK independence or UK pride”.

“Japan and Germany seem respected … even without nuclear weapons,” he said.

‘Asked if the UK should abolish its independent nuclear deterrent, he said “it would be a big gain” to Britain if it did, adding: “I know that the British military are not very keen on it. I don’t think Britain would be more protected by [Trident] and Germany and Japan seem to be managing without them [nuclear weapons].” The Guardian

Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn is campaigning to stop Trident, and the biggest antinuclear weapons march of this generation has taken place in London. Any sign that people are being listened to?

No.

The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament response to the UK annual budget (again, cutting taxes for the rich, cutting services for the poor) points out that renewing Trident continues to be a useless, immoral and expensive act of stupidity.

‘Chancellor George Osborne used his Budget today to announce his latest rounds of cuts to our vital services. This means:

‘cuts to welfare for disabled people;
cuts pensions for nurses and teachers;
cuts to local government funding.
‘There’s one cut we wouldn’t have minded the Chancellor announcing. Spending on Trident has increased by almost £20 billion in the past six months as the Government continues its obsession with wasting money on an outdated weapon of mass destruction.

‘Our message to the Government is clear. Stop Trident – an illegal, immoral and militarily useless weapon of mass destruction.

‘What can you do?

If you disagree with Osborne and the Tory government’s pursuit of nuclear weapons at the cost of support for the disabled, pensioners and Local Government make your feelings known:

‘Write to your MP to tell them you want to stop Trident replacement. You can contact your MP using the CND website
‘Tweet your support for the #StopTrident campaign, perhaps using some of the facts above
‘Join our People not Trident bloc at the People’s Assembly demonstration on Saturday, April 16th’

CND campaign