Pope Francis openly condemns possession of nuclear weapons and moves away from church’s acceptance of deterrence reports PAX.

The Director of the Holy See Press Office, Greg Burke, has issued a statement on an upcoming conference on nuclear disarmament. "The Holy Father is working with determination to promote the conditions necessary for a world without nuclear arms," Burke said in a statement on Wednesday. The Director of the Holy See noted that Pope Francis "expressed his resolve in this matter earlier this year, in a 'Message' addressed to the United Nations Conference 'To Negotiate a Legally-Binding Instrument to Prohibit Nuclear Weapons, Leading Towards Their Total Elimination.

Text of Statement

Pax Christi resources

In his Twitter message on 26th September, Pope Francis said: 'Let us commit ourselves to a world without nuclear weapons by implementing the Non-Proliferation Treaty to abolish these weapons of death.' Meanwhile in New York, Archbishop Paul Gallagher, Vatican Secretary for Relations with States addressed the United Nations General Assembly, urging governments to do more to prevent wars, protect human dignity and work for a nuclear-free world.

Read more

On a day in which Pope Francis tweeted: 'I appeal for peace and disarmament: in this world wounded by violence, we need fraternity among peoples' - the Holy See became one of the first entities to sign and ratify a new treaty prohibiting nuclear weapons. The treaty was signed by Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States, for the Holy See, and in the name of and on behalf of Vatican City State.

Read the article.

As the United Nations open the historic Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty for signatures, church leaders in the UK have signed an open-letter, coordinated by Christian CND, calling for the government to sign up.

Read the letter

Prayers and actions from Pax Christi

 

The Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) Arms Fair takes place in London 11th-15th September, 2017. 

Pax Christi's website offers resources for prayer and reflection.

Day of Peace to Stop the Arms Fair

Silent Vigil to Stop the Arms Fair

 

 

Religious leaders have met in Japan to pray for peace in the world and as a response to Pope Francis asking them to foster dialogue, friendship and peace.

The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons have produced a pledge which they are asking all politicians to sign for the elimination of nuclear weapons.

The Independent Catholic News reports on Trident Ploughshares campaigner Angie Zelter's appeal on bail conditions. The case arises from her participation in a blockade of the nuclear warhead store at Coulport on Loch Long.

Justitia et Pax Europa, Conference of European Justice and Peace Commissions and the Committee on International Justice and Peace for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops have relased a joint statement on nuclear disarmament - Seeking Human Security.  

Update as final week begins

It’s historic. The formal schedule of the UN Nuclear Ban Treaty Conference for this Friday coming (7th July) is the adoption of the treaty itself. Over 130 UN states are participating. It’s the very best news in nuclear disarmament in decades.

More than 130 countries are continuing negotiations to outlaw nuclear weapons entirely. A second round of meetings began in New York on 15 June to draft a Nuclear Weapon Ban Treaty. If approved, this treaty would make it illegal to "develop, produce, manufacture or otherwise acquire" nuclear weapons.

A week ago the Ministry of Defence proudly announced that the UK is "stepping up across the globe: the fifth largest defence budget in the world and largest in Europe, rising by around £1Bn a year" How will this promote sustainable security with research and investment into those things that will keep us truly safe?

Nuclear Weapons Incidents and Weapons Accidents in the United Kingdom

 

A new report by Peter Burt for the Nuclear Information Service, published  February 2017, discussing the accident record of the UK's nuclear weapons programme over its 65 year history. It looks across the full scope of the programme, describing the most significant incidents in detail.

Review of the Report      Full Report

The complete elimination of nuclear weapons is "a moral and humanitarian imperative", says Pope Francis.

On August 6 1945, when the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, I was an 11 year-old girl, 5th grader of a primary school.

Nuclear Ban Treaty talks at the UN in New York start in one week Monday 27th March 2017. We are counting down to this historic opportunity to rid our world of this threat. 

In 2 weeks time, Monday 27th March 2017  The UN will meet in New York to discuss a Nuclear Ban Treaty.  Watch this powerful film depicting each nuclear explosion since 1945 and watch our website for further information and ways to get involved.

Pax Christi has isues a statement on the forthcoming negotiations on banning nuclear weapons.

Statement here

Further informaton from Pax Christi

Wednesday 1st March -Ash Wednesday at Faslane -South Gate of Faslane at 2:45pm Glasgow Catholic Worker.

Join us for our annual Ash Wednesday Service of Repentance and Resistance at the home of the UK's weapons of mass destruction. We start at the car park next to the South Gate.

Week of Action

The United Nations negotiations in 2017 for a Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty, supported by a huge majority of the world’s governments start in March in New York. 
ICAN calls for a global Week of Action from 10th to 17th February.

Details on Scrap Trident website

And an interesting take on a serious subject : Global ban on nuclear weapons explained in Scots

Negotiations for a Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty start in March at The United Nations meeting in New York. The Ban is supported by most member states – but not the UK. 

The International Campiagn to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) has called for a Worldwide Week of Action from 10th to 17th Feb.

CND is calling on the UK government to play a constructive role in the negotiations and has called a lobby of MPs to give you the chance to persuade your member of Parliament. Lobby your MP

 

Ask your MSPs to support this motion
This week the United Nations First Committee debated setting up of a conference next year to negotiate a nuclear weapons ban treaty. In spite of the nuclear weapons states including the UK putting pressure on non nuclear states more and more are speaking up to co-sponsor the resolution.  There will be a vote on it next month and campaigners who are present are hopeful of it passing.

Providing police cover for the UK's military nuclear programme costs £73m a year according to the latest policing plan for the Ministry of Defence Police (MDP). The MDP are a police force who patrol the sites connected with the UK's nuclear weapons including Aldermaston, Burghfield, Devonport and Faslane. The MDP patrol a total of 120 sites, but the costs for nuclear policing account for almost half their annual budget (Nuclear Information Service)

Eamon Keating, the chairman of the Defence Police Federation, has warned that cuts to the Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) could place the security of the UK's Trident nuclear weapons at risk. (Nuclear Information Service)

Damage to HMS Ambush's conning tower could be seen as it arrived in Gibraltar on Tuesday evening. One of the UK's newest nuclear-powered submarines has docked in Gibraltar after a collision with a merchant vessel during a training exercise. The Royal Navy said it has launched an immediate investigation after HMS Ambush was involved in the "glancing collision" while submerged off the coast of the British territory.  (BBC News)

The Bishops of Scotland have called on the UK government to honour its commitment as a key signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferations Treaty (1968) and work towards the disposing and elimination of all nuclear weapons. In a statement, Scotland’s eight Catholic Bishops highlight the ‘immorality of the use of strategic nuclear weapons due to the indiscriminate destruction of innocent human life’ that their use would cause, and endorse Pope Francis who has said that “Spending on nuclear weapons squanders the wealth of nations”.

David Cameron has used a speech at the NATO summit in Warsaw to announce that the long-awaited vote on Trident replacement will take place on Monday 18th July. It isn't yet known whether MPs will be asked to support replacement in principle, or whether they will be asked to consent to the building of four new submarines, at a cost of £41bn. CND analysis has shown that the lifetime cost of Trident replacement will be at least £205bn

David Cameron has announced MPs will vote on whether to renew the Trident nuclear weapons system on Monday 18th July. This in spite of the fact that he has resigned and a new Prime Minister is yet to be elected and that the country is still reeling from the Brexit decision. No doubt these things have lead to this rush to squeeze a vote on Trident in before the summer recess but a selfish desire to unite the Tories and split Labour is no reason to take such an important and expensive decision in haste. (Scrap Trident Coalition)

A new report by CND sets the record straight on Trident and jobs. It's often argued that Trident and its replacement provide civilian jobs. While this is true, the extent of this job creation is tiny relative to the sums involved. In effect, they are among the most costly jobs in history. This report looks at how the money saved by not replacing Trident could be used for a massive level of investment that would create many more jobs than the current or future nuclear weapons systems can provide.

Nuclear warhead is being made more destructive and more accurate while an entirely new one is being developed, say researchers
Work is under way in secret at Britain’s nuclear bomb factory to upgrade the existing Trident arsenal and to develop an entirely new warhead, according to a report from the Nuclear Information Service.  The Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) at Aldermaston and Burghfield in Berkshire is working on a programme to upgrade the current UK Trident warhead to produce the “Mark 4A”, which will be more accurate and have greater destructive power, the report says. The costs and timetable of the programme have not been revealed to parliament. (Richard Norton-Taylor theguardian.com)

The total cost of replacing the Trident nuclear missile system will come to at least £205bn, far more than previously estimated, according to figures drawn up by the CND. It has calculated the total on the basis of official figures, answers to parliamentary questions and previous costs of items including nuclear warheads and decommissioning nuclear reactors. It says it has not taken into account that past Ministry of Defence projects have frequently gone well over budget. (The Guardian)

Westminster, Wednesday 13 July
There will be a vote in Parliament this year on replacing the Trident nuclear weapons system, at an estimated cost well in excess of £100bn. There is growing opposition inside and outside Parliament to the plans, highlighted by the biggest anti-nuclear demonstration for a generation in February. In addition to the Scottish National Party and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, MPs in almost every party planning to vote against Trident replacement.

Justice and Peace will be joining Scottish Christians Against Nuclear Arms, for their annual 'Witness for Peace' outside the North Gate of Faslane Naval Base at 12 noon on Saturday 14 May. Please join us. 

The Government recently blocked a Bill which would have introduced regulations on the transportation of nuclear warheads around the country. The Bill was introduced following a number of incidents where warheads have been transported in residential areas and in poor weather conditions.

Please ask your MP to sign this EDM
That this House notes the publication of the Strategic Defence and Security Review and the National Security Strategy; further notes that the estimated cost of replacing the Vanguard Class of nuclear armed submarines has increased to £31 billion with a £10 billion contingency, and that the date of entry into service for the Successor submarines has been delayed;

Pax Christi amongst others is supporting a major national demonstration called by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) to Stop Trident, Britain’s nuclear weapons system.  They want to make sure that  this will be the biggest protest against nuclear weapons  in a generation, they need your help.

Justice and Peace Scotland has commended the Scottish Parliament for its recent majority decision against the proposed renewal of the Trident nuclear weapons system. The Commission notes that this view is in line with the consistent teaching of the Church; and with the specific statements of the Scottish Bishops, notably in 1982 and 2006.

A new report from Reuters shows that the true cost of renewing Trident will be far higher than the huge sums already mentioned.  The new estimate is £167 billion. The figure comes from Crispin Blunt MP, based on information from Defence Minister Philip Dunne, taking account of current inflation forecasts. Blunt said "My office calculation based on an in-service date of 2028 and a missile extension until 2060 .. the total cost is 167 billion pounds"

Please ask your MP to sign this EDM

That this House notes that the Chancellor of the Exchequer visited the Faslane Naval Base to announce £500 million of spending; is concerned that this announcement pre-empts a final decision on Trident replacement; and calls on the Government to ensure that any decision on the Trident replacement is subject to a vote on the floor of the House and to announce a timetable for that decision.

Scottish CND has hit out at the UK government’s announcement that £500 million will be spent on the nuclear sub base at Faslane. Chancellor George Osborne, in a visit to the Gare Loch facility, said the cash will be spent on upgrading ship lifts, sea walls and jetties and will help secure thousands of jobs.  However, anti-nuclear activists say its real purpose is to entrench further the Trident nuclear weapons programme, which is based at Faslane. (Third Force News)

As Britain faces the deepest public spending cuts in living memory, the country can ill-afford to be spending in excess of £100bn on replacing Trident with a new generation of nuclear weapons.

William McNeilly, a 25 year old Royal Navy engineering technician, has published an account of a patrol on board Trident submarine HMS Vanguard on the internet describing in detail a series of alarming incidents and describing the submarine as being “in the worst of the worst condition”.  His exposures not only put safety standards in the Trident programme under the spotlight, but also bring into question HMS's Vanguard's ability to successfully fire its battery of missiles were the command to launch a nuclear attack ever given. (Nuclear Information Services)

Saturday 23rd May: Scottish Christians Against Nuclear Arms - Witness for Peace – Faslane. Come and join the Annual All Age Ecumenical Time of Worship at the North Gate of Faslane’s Naval Base on 23rd May 2015. This is a liturgical event and not a political demonstration. It’s an opportunity to sing, pray for peace, keep silence and take a symbolic action against Trident

Justice and peace will be at the Scrap Trident Demonstration this Saturday, why not come and join us - look out for our banner. Speakers: include: Nicola Sturgeon (Leader of SNP); Patrick Harvie MSP (Co-convenor Scottish Greens); Katy Clark MP (Labour Party)

The number of radiation safety incidents at the Clyde naval base where the UK's Trident nuclear weapons submarines are based has risen by more than 50 per cent over a year, according to figures released by the Ministry of Defence

CND has slammed the spiralling costs and ‘catastrophic’ errors during construction of the Ministry of Defence’s flagship nuclear weapons facility at the Atomic Weapons Establishment. Project Pegasus, a £634m project which will manufacture enriched uranium components for the UK’s nuclear warheads, is ‘in limbo’ after a catalogue of failings in the planning and construction stages.

"A survey for CND shows that Labour's parliamentary candidates - from traditionally safe seats to unwinnable Conservative strongholds through to some of the most vulnerable of Labour's target seats - are overwhelmingly against maintaining Trident when it comes up for renewal."

Commons Hansard: Opposition debate on Trident Renewal

The number of safety incidents recorded at the UK's Trident nuclear submarine and weapons bases on the Clyde estuary has shown a sharp increase according to internal Ministry of Defence  documents.  (Nuclear Information Service)

North Gate Faslane Saturday 20 September 12 noon.

After the historic Referendum Vote this is an opportunity to do something practical and symbolic.. Whether we are celebrating or commiserating with each other - one thing remains clear. The campaign against nuclear weapons will not stop until they are removed, and nothing will make that clearer than our presence at Faslane a mere two days after the vote.  All invited to join Scottish Christians Against Nuclear Weapons in a short sharp event – part demo/part symbolic action. Bring a picnic.

The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) has welcomed political opponents uniting to reject Falmouth as an alternative to the Clyde nuclear warhead depot. Truro and Falmouth’s Conservative MP Sarah Newton and her Labour challenger Hanna Toms have both rejected proposals to build a Trident nuclear warhead depot close to the town of Falmouth, in the event of an independent Scotland expelling the Trident submarines from the Clyde. The recently elected Green MEP for the South West, Molly Scott-Cato, also expressed her opposition. (Ekklesia)

CND has slammed the government for 'ratcheting up expenditure' on nuclear weapons, while calling for nuclear armed subs to be recalled from service in the wake of revelations over new safety issues.

Glasgow march & rally - 5 April

The Spring Walk for Peace will set off on April 1 from the Edinburgh Parliament and reach its destination – Faslane Base – on April 7.  Join the walk for any time you are available – a few hours, days or for the whole week. There is no minimum distance. There will be a support vehicle travelling with the Spring Walk the entire way, which will give a lift to anyone needing a rest. The route has been broken down into no more than 15 miles each day. Major Rally on Saturday 5th in George Square.

A recent report from the Nuclear Education Trust has concluded that ‘for now and foreseeable future [there is] no nuclear threat to UK’. The report has taken evidence from a wide range of senior establishment figures in politics and the military. There is an urgent need for a wider and more informed public and Parliamentary debate on nuclear weapons – and especially whether they do or do not contribute to UK's security. It also questions the legality of current plans to upgrade Trident.

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond has published the second of a series of annual updates on the Trident replacement programme and announced two further contracts with BAE Systems for work on the programme, taking the total spent on replacing Trident to more than £800 million since 2011. 

With the government's Trident Alternatives Review being recently published, CND have launched a new report,  'The Real Alternative: What the government's Trident Alternatives Review isn't telling you', was launched by CND's Kate Hudson who was joined by Labour MPs Joan Ruddock and Jeremy Corbyn, Lib Dem Tessa Munt and the SNP's Angus Robertson. The report finds that, ‘The government’s failure to consider non-replacement of the Trident nuclear weapons system is an abdication of responsibility’ and says, ‘Non-replacement is a credible option, which offers serious strategic and economic benefits’.  CND argue the government should disarm rather than replace Trident.

The Government's Trident Alternatives Review is due to be published shortly. David Cameron has recently announced his support for Trident, once again exposing the differences within the Coalition. Parliament is expected to vote on Trident replacement in 2016. The Government Review, while increasing discussion about Trident, has not included the option of nuclear disarmament. CND will launch its own Real Alternative Review to advocate scrapping Trident and not replacing it.  But before then, they need you to keep up the pressure by taking action. Ask your MP to sign EDM 150 Trident Replacement. Before the Queen's Speech, and thanks to CND supporters lobbying them, 97 MPs added their name to a call to cancel Trident replacement. The same motion has now been relaunched. MPs can sign once again, so we need you to write in again to push that well over 100 MPs.  Find you MP here

Hundreds of people from across the UK, France and as far away as New Zealand converged on Faslane Naval Base, homeport to Trident, at 7 a.m. on Monday 15 April, blocking all three of its gates and shutting down access, bringing traffic on all roads into the nuclear weapons base to a halt for 3 hours.

 

There are three main arguments against Trident. One is the growing acceptance among senior ex-military types that it has no strategic relevance to Britain’s war machine and that its retention and likely renewal is more about having some spectacular macho bling to dazzle on the world stage. While that argument has significance and cogency among the political elites, it does not have huge popular force in a Scotland largely and rightly alienated from the whole of the UK war-making adventure.

Since early in 2010, that the cornerstone of the coalition government’s deficit reduction plan was radical and savage cuts to welfare spending. After announcing initial plans to reduce the benefits bill by £18 billion per year by 2014-15, they have ramped up the anti-welfare rhetoric further this year with the announcement that a further £10 billion is to be cut with a new round of reforms from 2017. What is absent from the government’s announcements on welfare ‘reform’ so far, however, is an analysis of just who it is that stands to lose and how exactly that loss will affect them. To some extent, the sheer complexity of the welfare system has assisted the government in hiding the cumulative impact of the changes.

The Scottish Parliament is holding a debate on Trident at 2 pm on Wednesday 20 March. The motion will be presented by the Scottish Government and there will be a vote at 5 pm, see Agenda for 20 March: Please contact your MSPs and encourage them to oppose Trident. On the day when the Scottish parliament is discussing nuclear weapons, the House of Commons will be hearing George Osborne announce his budget for the year. Please encourage MSPs to say that Trident should be cut, not welfare or public services.

Organised by Scottish Clergy Against Nuclear Weapons
The Easter Witness for Peace 2013 will take place at the gate of Faslane Trident base from 12 noon on Saturday 23 March. This will be an opportunity to meet together and to witness to our common faith in Jesus, the Prince of Peace, and to underline our belief that nuclear weapons are immoral and they should not be maintained or renewed. There will be a short act of worship with singing, prayers for peace, followed by a picnic. Bring food to share. Tea, coffee and juice will be provided. Speakers: Rev Sally Fulton (Church of Scotland), Bishop Joe Toal (Catholic Church) and Bruce Kent (Vice President, CND).  Short statements against nuclear weapons from a range of churches will be read out. Music by the Wild Goose Resource Group.

On Wednesday 5th December, George Osborne is expected to announce further spending cuts with his Autumn Statement. But one thing we know he isn't planning to cut is Trident. Funding the Trident nuclear weapons system and its replacement comes at the cost of key services and facilities across the economy - up to £100 billion over its lifetime. With the nation's media watching the Autumn Statement - make sure our message is getting through - tell George Osborne what he should cut.

The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament condemned Defence Secretary Philip Hammond's announcement of a further £350m spending on Trident replacement, ahead of a parliamentary decision in 2016. It also criticised the government's 'shabby attempt to intervene in the Scottish independence debate' just days after the Scottish Affairs Committee called on the government to consider the implications of potential Scottish independence for Trident.

The Scottish Affairs Committee published a report on the 25th October which points out that Scottish independence could lead to nuclear disarmament for Britain. It also says that Scottish CND's timetable for disarming Trident is realistic.

Trident faces public opposition whether or not it is forced out of Scotland, experts told the House of Commons Defence Committee on 3 July 2012, as they offered varying visions on the likely impact of Scottish independence on the future of Britain's nuclear weapons system. The comments echoed the findings of a detailed report by CND on the lack of possible sites for relocation of Trident. (Source Ekklesia)

Philip Hammond, the Secretary of State for Defence, was called to the Commons  after trying to quietly announce a £1.1 billion investment contract in part to develop reactors for the Trident replacement submarines. The investment is part of a controversial plan to order the reactors before the go-ahead decision to construct the submarines has even been made - due to be in 2016.

EDM 95     DETENTION OF TORTURE SURVIVORS 
EDM 96     TRIDENT REPLACEMENT
EDM 117   HUMAN RIGHTS, DEVELOPMENT AND ARMS TRADE TREATY

A report by Professor Malcolm Chalmers, defence policy director of the influential Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), has questioned whether an independent Scotland could remove Trident nuclear weapons from their base on the Clyde and remain in NATO.  The report, was commissioned by the 'Scotland on Sunday' newspaper, The report is published as the Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP) prepares to debate  whether to retain its long standing policy of opposition to NATO membership at its party conference in June.

Please support Scottish CND's new campaign "No Nuclear Weapons Here". SCND want people to add their pin to their map to show that people in every corner of the country want to see nuclear disarmament. Put yourself on the map if you want to see a Scotland which is free of nuclear weapons.  Today all British nuclear weapons are based on the Clyde

http://www.naenuclear.org/

The Easter Witness for Peace will take place at the gates of the Faslane nuclear submarine base at 12 noon on Saturday 31 March, which is the day before Palm Sunday. This will be a safe and friendly event, for all ages and is especially designed for those who have not been to Faslane before.  The event is organised by Scottish Clergy Against Nuclear Arms (SCANA), Bishop Toal will be among the speakers

On 21st March Chancellor George Osborne will be announcing the 2012 budget. Money is tight, and no doubt austerity will be the guiding principle, but in the meantime the UK is spending £100 billion on nuclear weapons.Tell George Osborne: It's Time to Cut Trident. Cuts across public services are causing real pain but billions are being poured into the replacement programme for the UK's Trident nuclear weapons. Tell him that this is the spending cut you support.

MPs will be discussing nuclear weapons in a debate on "The cost of Trident nuclear missile and submarine replacement" at 4.30 pm on Wednesday 7 December in Westminster Hall, House of Commons. The debate has been initiated by Jeremy Corbyn MP, Vice Chair of CND.
Please use this opportunity to contact your MP about the billions of pounds that are being wasted on nuclear weapons.

World church leaders have met in Edinburgh, to discuss plans to rid the world of nuclear weapons and to hold discussions with civic and political leaders. Earlier this week the leaders met with Bruce Crawford MSP and Cabinet Secretary for Parliamentary Business and Government Strategy to find out about the context of the nuclear debate in Scotland and the impact of the independence debate. The World Council of Churches group have also held talks with the Cross Party Group for Nuclear Disarmament in the Scottish Parliament.

Ask your MP to sign EDM 1924 'Trident Review'
The Trident 'initial gate' report has announced that the expected cost of building the new nuclear weapon submarines has doubled from that first announced. The case for a full review of the policy is now clearer than ever.  Ask your MP to sign EDM 1924 'Trident Review' calling for a full reconsideration before the construction of replacement submarines begins. With cuts to spending hitting all areas of the public sector we must make it clear to MPs just how unacceptable it is to refuse to reconsider Britain's possession of nuclear weapons.

The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament condemned the decision to authorise billions of pounds of further spending on the Trident replacement programme, prior to the major decision point on the nuclear weapons system, not due to be taken until 2016. However, CND welcomed the launch of a government study into alternatives to Trident, to be led by Lib Dem Defence Minister Nick Harvey as providing the opportunity for other options – so far excluded for reasons of dogma rather than on an evidential basis – to be considered.

16 April 2011

Here at the gates of Faslane, there is no better place to say that it is not courageous of Britain to have these dreadful weapons of massdestruction. It is shameful to have them. If our government wished to trulybe courageous it would unilaterally give up its nuclear deterrent, givingthe witness and impetus for other nations to do the same.

Trident is fast becoming obsolete, and we have the chance now to do theright thing and give it up. We have the chance to be peacemakers, echoingthe Easter desire of Jesus Christ for a lasting peace. We will all, I trust,continue working and praying together for this, and I thank you for thiswitness you all give today. May God bless each of you with deep peace, thisHoly Week and at Easter.

Scottish CND has obtained a key Ministry of Defence document which explains why the Trident Replacement Initial Gate decision, due in September 2009, has been delayed for 18 months. The paper also reveals that the reactors on current British submarines are sub-standard.

The Trade Union Prospect say that "Pressure to make cuts [at Faslane] was greater than the pressure to maintain a safe nuclear environment". Steve Jary, national secretary of the union was worried about the impact of moving nuclear safety posts into the private sector. The MoD's internal regulator is already concerned about safety procedures at the base. This latest news comes after a series of incidents, including the grounding of the Navy's newest submarine, HMS Astute, on Skye.

This was reported by Rob Edwards in the Sunday Herald

February 2011 edition now available online.

Campaigners and commentators have pointed out that the government's National Security Strategy, published yesterday (18 October) undermines the case for renewing the Trident nuclear weapons system, to which ministers are committed.

The BBC has reported that the Main Gate decision on the Trident replacement programme will be put back from 2014 to 2015, beyond the next general election. However this does not mean that Trident is on hold. A different decision, the Initial Gate, is imminent.

Keeping Trident will cause defence job losses.

Cardinal Keith Patrick O'Brien - The Hexham Debates Series, 20 FEBRUARY 2010, St. Mary’s Church, Hexham

Christians have joined with other faith groups to issue a “call to repentance” over the manufacture of nuclear weapons. Protesting at the Aldermaston Atomic Weapons Establishment in Berkshire yesterday (15 February), they declared that “the power of Trident is an affront to the power of God”.

Scottish church leaders have intensified pressure on the Government to abandon plans to renew the Trident nuclear weapons system.

The Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, has been criticised for avoiding the issue of Trident in his speech to the Labour Party conference yesterday (29 September).

The prime minister has told the United Nations that he is willing to cut the UK's fleet of Trident missile-carrying submarines from four to three.

New research published by Greenpeace and backed by senior politicians has warned that the cost of replacing the UK’s Trident nuclear weapons system will be over £95 billion – in contrast to the roughly £20 billion earmarked by the government.

Reception on 13 November 2009 in the Scottish Parliament for delegates attending the NATO Parliamentary Assembly

The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament today welcomed the formation of a new grouping of ex-ministers and retired senior military officers calling for multilateral nuclear disarmament.

Scrap Trident, voters tell Brown. Money should go on health and education instead, survey finds. Article from The Independent.

The Sunday Times has published a new poll which shows 61% of Scots are opposed to replacing Trident while only 24 % support the proposal. The survey of 1,040 people was carried out by MRUK between 7 and 13 August. Those who are opposed also hold their views more vociferously. 29% are strongly opposed to Trident replacement, plus 32% opposed. In contrast only 7% strongly supported the idea, with a further 17% saying they supported it.

CND has called on new Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth MP to recognise how unpopular the government's Trident plans are and to delay the 'Initial Gate' decision as his first act in the job.

The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament today gave a mixed reaction to Gordon Brown's speech on nuclear power and nuclear proliferation.

Transcript of a speech given by the Prime Minister on 17 March 2009

Remarks by Margaret Beckett, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, United Kingdom Carnegie International Nonproliferation Conference June 25, 2007

Scottish CND welcomed the decision by the Scottish Parliament to say No to Trident.

The leading Protestant and Catholic church leaders in Scotland have renewed their criticism on Britain’s commitment to nuclear weapons and have called for a major non-proliferation effort – echoing similar calls from civic and peace campaigners.

How Scottish MPs voted...

National Secretary, Richard McCready's article in the Scotsman, 12 March 2007

"We are writing to you on behalf of Scotland’s major Churches to voice our opposition to the replacement of the Trident Nuclear Weapons System..."

Speech by Cardinal O’Brien

Trident Defence White Paper

The Bishops’ Conference of Scotland has condemned the Government’s decision to go ahead with the renewal of the Trident missile system.

National Secretary Richard McCready and the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, Alan McDonald, hand over our petition against the replacement of Trident to the Ministry of Defence.

Statement from the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales. English and Welsh Catholic Bishops Call on UK Government to Set the Example by Decommissioning Nuclear Weapons

The full text of Cardinal O'Brien's remarks at the end of the "Long walk for Peace". The Cardinal participated in a symbolic ‘foot washing’ for marchers at 1.00pm, at St John’s Episcopal Church, Princes Street, before walking to the Scottish Parliament for a rally at 3.00pm.

Archbishop Mario Conti joined marchers taking part in the Long Walk for Peace from Faslane to the Scottish Parliament. The Archbishop walked with the marchers to Helensburgh and delivered a short address at Helensburgh Pier, before handing over a letter to be delivered to the Scottish Parliament.

Cardinal welcomes 'heartening and encouraging letter'

An ICM poll commissioned by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament shows that 59% of British people oppose the replacement of Trident, Britain’s nuclear weapons system. The poll results demonstrate a 5% increase in public opposition to Trident replacement over an identically phrased question from a MORI/Greenpeace poll from September 2005.

A useful article by Paul Rogers giving political background to the proposals to replace Trident

Statement by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Scotland. 11 April 2006