25 signatures reached
To: Secretary of State for Defence
We demand a referendum on Trident
The public has the right to decide whether we renew Trident. As with Europe, we need a referendum, with politicians allowed to campaign according to their conscience.
Why is this important?
Trident has little or no relevance in the 21st-century world - even for those with a belief in the so-called nuclear deterrent. There has not been an informed public debate on Trident for many years and few politicians appear seriously to consider the issue, simply wrapping themselves in the flags of patriotism and strength in support of an absurd, expensive and dangerous programme.
Trade unionists, shamefully, are seeing the issue in terms of jobs. Have they not heard of swords into ploughshares?
Jeremy Corbyn and other abolitionists are portrayed as crazed and unrealistic, of putting the country in grave danger.
Yet there are politicians of all parties who believe we should not renew Trident (Michael Portillo and Lord Owen to name but two, neither in office now of course but with considerable experience of the issue) and many in the military.
And the public? If we knew all the facts and could come to an informed judgement it is likely that the vast majority would vote against, preferring to spend the money on health, education, the environment, houses and so forth.
We need a debate - now - before Parliament votes this spring.
