Campaigning in Wrexham: No Trident
Local Peace Campaigners were in Wrexham town centre on Saturday 3rd Feb collecting signatures for a petition against the TRIDENT nuclear weapons programme.
Saturday morning shoppers were surprised to see a five foot model of a missile outside Milletts on Hope Street. Members of the public were invited to express their opinions on alternative uses for the estimated £25 billion cost of replacing Trident by writing them down and sticking them to the missile. Suggestions included more spending on health, education and other public services, helping those who live in poverty, and “anything but this!”
The stall was organised by campaigners from Wrexham Peace and Justice Forum, some of whom were amongst the 19 people from Wales arrested at a blockade of the Faslane Nuclear Weapons facility in November of last year.
The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament argues that the huge sum required to replace Trident might be better spent paying for 120,000 newly qualified nurses every year for the next ten years.
The Prime Minister renewed the UK’s commitment to Trident in December of last year, prior to a debate in Parliament which will take place in March. He referred to the threat of global terrorism and stated that it would be ‘unwise and dangerous for Britain, alone of any of the nuclear powers, to give up its independent nuclear deterrent’.
Genny Bove of WPJF said: “Britain signed up to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty nearly 40 years ago. No serious efforts have been made towards nuclear disarmament in all those years and it is this which makes the world such a dangerous place and encourages other countries to want to join the nuclear club. Possession on nuclear weapons does nothing to protect us from global terrorism and, in fact, makes us more of a target. The best way to make the world safer would be to get rid of our nuclear weapons and to spend the money on something socially useful, such as measures to combat climate change, reduce poverty and improve public services.”
More pictures can be seen here.
