Responding to the government's announcement that foreign aid spending will be slashed to fund a hike in military spending, CND General Secretary Sophie Bolt writes:

“Starmer’s announcement to increase military spending to 2.5% by 2027 – an additional £13.4 billion annually – at the expense of overseas aid, reflects a Trump-style of international priorities: driving war and militarism whilst abandoning international obligations to halt global hunger and climate devastation. It represents a much more dangerous and damaging role for Britain in the world.

The spending announcement has clearly been rapidly organised ahead of Starmer’s meeting with Trump on Thursday. Nailing his colours very firmly to the Trump mast, Starmer reasserted Britain’s special relationship with the US, and pledged to increase military spending to 3% of GDP after the next election.

Read Sophie's blog

These increases are to fund a reckless war drive that risks plunging Europe into decades-long confrontation with Russia, whilst ratcheting up nuclear tensions globally.

Presenting Britain as the European leadership in NATO, Starmer reiterated his so-called peace-keeping operation in a post-settlement Ukraine. In it, 30,000 European troops would be deployed to Ukraine, underwritten by US military might should the ceasefire collapse. The plan has failed to win unity across Europe.”

Read the full response on Sophie's blog here.

CND webinar: Barrow’s role in Britain’s nuclear weapons system

There's still time to join us for tonight's webinar on scrapping nuclear weapons programme.

We'll be discussing the nuclear dockyard at Barrow-in-Furness and its key role in Britain's nuclear armaments, the government's obsession with tying militarism to economic growth, the need for defence diversification policies. Make sure you also join our upcoming demonstration in Barrow on Saturday 22 March to say ‘Peace not weapons!’.

Register Now

Wednesday, 26 February
7-8:00pm
Online, register here

Speakers include: Phil Webber, Scientists for Global Responsibility; Sam Mason, CND Vice-Chair and trade unionist; Phillip Gilligan, South Lakeland and Lancaster District CND. Chaired by Sophie Bolt, CND General Secretary.