Nuclear weapons are the most dangerous weapons on earth. One can destroy a whole city, potentially killing millions, and jeopardizing the natural environment and lives of future generations through its long-term catastrophic effects. The dangers from such weapons arise from their very existence. Although nuclear weapons have only been used twice in warfare—in the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945—about 22,000 reportedly remain in our world today and there have been over 2,000 nuclear tests conducted to date. Disarmament is the best protection against such dangers, but achieving this goal has been a tremendously difficult challenge.
The United Kingdom spending money on the most dangerous weapons on earth is unjustifiable, economically and morally. Currently the cost of maintaining what the government describe as the ‘nuclear deterrent’ in 2014 was 6% of the total defence budget, around £2.4bn, which admittedly isn’t very much in terms of total UK budget expenditure which was £714bn in 2014. (Welfare cost £112.4bn, pensions £143.2bn, Health £129.5 bn, Education £90.2 bn). The very idea that a free, democratic nation sees spending even such a miniscule amount of its budget on the ownership of weapons whose use would inflict untold suffering on tens of millions of innocent people and effect a response that would wipe out our nation in minutes is, quite literally, indefensible. Indeed the International Court of Justice ruled in 1996 the threat or use of nuclear weapons would be contrary to the rules of international law. For the UK to hold and maintain such despicable weapons is bad enough but, at a time when we are continually told there is no alternative to austerity, all the major UK parties are committed to spending £30bn to upgrade Trident and a further £70bn over the next 25 years to maintain it. That is at today’s prices – the cost of upgrading alone has already increased by 50% since 2009. It makes no sense. The Tories say if returned to government they will cut welfare by a further £12bn, as well as make further cuts to most if not all government expenditure, but will have £30bn to upgrade Trident. Labour and the Liberal Democrats have similar commitments. Whatever the makeup of the next government, if it continues with the plans to upgrade the UK nuclear deterrent it will be an indication of its attitude to the most vulnerable in our country and humanity in general. Conventional weapons serve the majority of the world’s nations very well and are all we need to defend us, nuclear weapons serve no real defensive purpose.
As a country we can’t afford it. As a democracy we shouldn’t need it. As a UN member nation we shouldn’t have it. As people we have to oppose it.
Find out more at CND about what could be done with the money to be spent on Trident, and sign the Rethink Trident statement.
Philip Green, Blogging & Writing. 