Campaigners today urged Labour MP's to 'say enough is enough and call time on Blair's terrifying new nuclear weapons policy.' The call came after Greenpeace discovered that the government is building a massive new nuclear weapons construction facility in the Berkshire countryside. Military analysts have warned that the project could be part of the government's new first-use policy on non-nuclear states. The new establishment could be used to build low-yield nuclear bombs known as 'bunker busters.'
The development comes after the US administration completed a review of their nuclear policy, which marked a fundamental shift in the US attitude to nuclear weapons, from what was previously described as a 'defensive weapon of last resort' to an 'offensive' weapon that can be used pre-emptively.
The redevelopment of Aldermaston will be presented as a planning application to Berkshire County Council this month and will costs hundreds of millions of pounds. Tony Blair failed to even inform Parliament of the plans. Now campaigners are urging MP's to seek answers to a number of important questions:
- Is Britain carrying out, or has it already carried out, any work on the possibility of fitting new nuclear warheads on to the existing Trident system?
- Is Britain assisting the US in its design work on 'low-yield' nuclear devices?
- Will Britain have any participation or input into the 'advanced warhead concept teams' being established at the US nuclear weapons establishments?
- How was the decision taken to invest billions of pounds into the new infrastructure and facilities at Aldermaston?
Greenpeace disarmament campaigner William Peden said today:
'It's now up to Labour MPs to stop Blair shackling our defence and foreign policy to the hawks in Washington. The decision to build new nuclear weapons is about the most momentous one that a premier can take, and yet this man didn't even bother to tell Parliament what he's been up to. It's frightening.'
Concern that the government is planning to change UK nuclear weapons policy surfaced when Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon told the Defence Select Committee on March 20th that he was 'absolutely confident that in the right conditions we would be willing to use our nuclear weapons.' Four days later, on the Jonathan Dimbleby programme, he went further by insisting that the nuclear option could be taken pre-emptively. He said: 'Let me make clear the long standing British government policy that if our forces - if our people - were threatened by weapons of mass destruction we would reserve the right to use appropriate responses which in extreme circumstances include the use of nuclear weapons.' (emphasis added.)
'Britain has repeatedly vowed that it would be at the forefront of diplomatic efforts to rid the world of nuclear weapons,' added Peden, 'but this decision shows what a sham that vow really was. Dr Strangelove has clearly been appointed as Blair's new special advisor. Bush has taught him to love the bomb.'
Further information:
Contact:
Greenpeace press office on 020 7865 8255
