Scottish Delegation Heads for Aldermaston and Blix Meeting
Sun., June 11, 2006. 10:36.
Greens' WMD replacement concerns voiced at Westminster
A senior delegation from Scotland, including Greens' co-leader Robin Harper MSP, will on Monday (12 June) visit Aldermaston and the House of Commons to convey their concerns over plans to replace the Trident system of weapons of mass destruction. (1)
The Scottish group is concerned that, according to Scottish CND, over £1 billion is being spent on new facilities at Aldermaston and that preparations are being put in place to build new nuclear weapons, weapons that are likely to cost upwards of £15 billion of taxpayers' money and end up based on the Clyde. (2) Cherie Booth's legal firm has ruled that a Trident replacement would be illegal. (3)
The group includes MSPs from four political parties, the Moderator of the Church of Scotland, a former Lord Advocate, the Secretary of Scotland’s largest trade union and a leading representative of the Islamic community. The group will still visit the Aldermaston nuclear weapons site near Reading and tour the exterior. A written request to tour the interior has been rejected, but the group will repeat their request in person on Monday. They will then travel to Westminster where they will meet with a cross party group of MPs and with Hans Blix for the former UN weapons inspector's UK launch of his new report from the UN Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission.
Robin Harper MSP, Scottish Greens' co-convener and member of the parliament's cross party group on nuclear disarmament, said, "We want to send a strong message to Westminster that the replacement of Trident is illegal and immoral. An overwhelming majority of Scots would like the UK government to get rid of our nuclear weapons. A new Trident programme would continue to make Scotland a prime target for a nuclear attack, would break treaty commitments that the UK has already made, pose a horrific threat to millions of innocent men, women and children, and be contrary to international law. Further, it would increase rather than reduce international tensions especially between Middle Eastern countries and the West. We should be getting rid of Trident not investing billions of pounds upgrading the system."
ENDS
For further information contact:
Green's press office on 0771 761 8771
John Ainslie, Coordinator, Scottish CND, 0141 423 1222 (office) 0141 334 1175 (home) 07788 738887 (mobile)
Louise Edge, Press Officer, Greenpeace, 0207 865 8115 / 07801 212993 (mobile)
Notes
1.
Timetable for Monday 12 June
10.15 am Main gate Aldermaston
2 pm Attend Hans Blix UK launch of WMD Commission report. To participate please contact Carol Naughton, WMD Awareness Programme 07736 698702
3.30 pm Scottish delegation presentation to MPs and media, Grimmond Room, Portcullis House, Westminster.
Delegation
Bill Butler MSP (Labour), Colin Fox MSP (Leader SSP), Rev Kathy Galloway (Leader Iona Community), Robin Harper MSP (Co-Leader Greens), Isobel Lindsay (Vice President Scottish CND), Dr Bashir Maan (Scottish representative, Muslim Council for Britain), Mary Alice Mansell (Scottish Quaker General Meeting), Dr Richard McCready (Justice and Peace Scotland, on behalf of the Scottish Catholic Church), Rt Rev Alan McDonald (Moderator, Church of Scotland), Lord Murray (former Lord Advocate), Matt Smith (Scottish Secretary UNISON), Sandra White MSP (SNP). The Rt Rev Stephen Cottrell, Anglican Bishop of Reading, will accompany the group in Aldermaston.
2. Scottish CND has produced a new briefing showing how Aldermaston is jumping the gun before a decision on Trident replacement has been made and is gearing up to build more nuclear weapons Available online at: http://www.banthebomb.org/newbombs/Notridentrep.htm
The visit has been arranged by Scottish CND, Greenpeace and the Nuclear Information Service.
3. http://www.scottishgreens.org.uk/site/id/5078/title/GREENS_ON_TRIDENT_REPLACEMENT_IMMORAL_ILLEGAL_AND_UNNECESSARY_Cherie_Blair_039_s_Firm_Confirms_System_Is_Illegal.html
Contact the Scottish Greens' press team on 07909 933 074.