Anti Nuclear Weapons Demonstrators Takes to London Streets
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Political party leaders and anti-nuclear activists are gathering in London on Saturday to protest against the renewal of UK’s Trident nuclear program.
The demonstration, organized by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), is expected to be the biggest "in a generation", with people coming in from all over the country to partake.
Jeremy Corbyn, Leanne Woods and Nicola Sturgeon are going to speak at the final rally. The leaders of Labour, Plaid Cymru and Scottish National Party (SNP) will join other speakers such as actor Vanessa Redgrave, comedian Francesca Martinez and CND’s general secretary Kate Hudson.
Faith leaders, pacifist campaigners and trade unionists will also address the demonstration, Sputnik News reported.
Britain’s nuclear-weapon submarine carrier Trident is planned to be renewed this year, if the Parliament gives its green light. While the upgrade would only affect the submarines and not the actual nuclear missile, Stop Trident campaigners are seizing the chance to propose a total nuclear disarmament.
Anti-nuclear weapons activists point out that nuclear deterrents have been powerless to prevent many of the greatest tragedies to face the world in recent times such as 9/11, London's transport bombings and environmental hazards.
UK Labour party’s position has traditionally been in favor of maintaining nuclear deterrence. However, this now seems destined to change under the newly-elected leader Jeremy Corbyn, a longtime pacifist and anti-nuclear activist, and shadow defense secretary Emily Thornberry, who is an advocate of unilateral disarmament.
At the same time Corbyn’s anti-Trident stance is at odds with the Labour-supporting unions, who say any move to not replace the nuclear deterrent program will lead to the loss of thousands of jobs, with the Labour Party claiming 19,000 jobs depending on Trident in Scotland alone.
Politicians, including Plaid Cymru’s leader Leanne Wood, have underlined how the estimated refurbishing cost of £100 billion would be best invested in healthcare, education and welfare programs rather than in keeping the nuclear program alive.
Ms Wood said in a statement that nuclear weapons should belong to the "dustbin of history".
The Stop Trident demonstration will start at midday in Marble Arch, central London.