Not in our name: bid to stop Trident (UK)

[struggle4progress]

Leading figures from politics, religion, the arts and the military launch campaign against Trident
By Colin Brown, Deputy Political Editor
Published: 15 February 2007

A powerful coalition of 100 scientists, lawyers, church leaders, actors, writers and MPs is today demanding a halt to the rush by Tony Blair towards a replacement for Britain's Trident nuclear weapon system.

Stephen Hawking, the astrophysicist, is among the prominent figures fronting the campaign, which will strengthen growing demands in Parliament for the vote on the replacement of the nuclear weapons system to be delayed until a full debate on the options has taken place.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Right Rev Rowan Williams, the author Zadie Smith, the actress Emma Thompson, the fashion designer Vivienne Westwood and the architect Richard Rogers have also signed a statement objecting to a hasty decision.

They question the wisdom of rushing into the replacement of the Trident system with a Cold War-style generation of submarine-launched nuclear missiles at a cost of £65bn over its 30 years of service, while the most serious threat is now posed by terror groups that cannot be deterred by nuclear weapons ...

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article2271662.ece