Write to your MP

Greenpeace activists carrying body bags to Parliament in protest against the Gulf war

Use your democratic right to demand a nation wide debate on the replacement of Trident and the publication of studies undertaken by the government on:

• The assessment of threats for the rationale to replace Trident
• The effects replacement would have on the on the NPT and CTBT Treaties
• The implications it would have on British Foreign Policy in general and US-UK relations in particular
• The financial costs of replacement

There is no longer a Cold War. Indeed, according to the 1998 Strategic Defence Review "there is today no direct military threat to the United Kingdom or Western Europe. Nor do we foresee the re-emergence of such a threat." This means that there can be no reason whatsoever for the government not providing Members of Parliament and the public with these studies. The more so as these studies do not concern current military operations, but are assessments of the impact of what the UK will do in the future.

Notes on writing to your MP
A note of caution when writing a letter to your MP. Please bear in mind that an MP is a busy person who has to deal with literally thousands of letters on a daily basis. Remember to be brief, objective and relevant This sample letter is a guide. We very much recommend that you don't just copy it. A letter in your own words expressing your own concerns will usually get a better response from your Member of Parliament than simply copying this one. That is because Members of Parliament take letters that are clearly from you more seriously. At least some do - although this response from outgoing Tory leader Michael Howard suggests that his thoughts are already on "spending more time with the family."

The important thing, however, is to get something to your Member of Parliament as soon as possible rather than to write the most brilliant letter as letters from constituents are taken much more seriously by Members of Parliament than letters from organisations.

How to find your MP:/
Go to www.locata.co.uk/commons and enter your postcode or the name of your constituency. You will find out who your MP is and how to contact him/her.

Here is a sample letter you can use to demand your MP takes action against Trident today:

Dear (MP's NAME), I am deeply concerned about the imminent decision by the British government on whether to replace the existing Trident missiles with a new nuclear weapon. In fact, recent developments at AWE Aldermaston suggest that this decision may have already been taken without any consultation with parliament or the public. We need first, to have a national debate in which we, the public, can express our views on the decision to renew Trident and second, if parliament and the public is to be able to participate effectively in that debate the government's studies on the different options under consideration, including the option not to replace Trident, must be made public. Specifically, parliament and the public should immediately be provided with all studies on: Whether Trident replacement will help Britain meet existing and future threats The effects replacement would have on the on the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty The implications it would have on British foreign policy in general and US-UK relations in particular The financial costs of replacement There is no longer a Cold War. Indeed, according to the 1998 Strategic Defence Review "there is today no direct military threat to the United Kingdom or Western Europe. Nor do we foresee the re-emergence of such a threat." This means that there can be no reason whatsoever for the government not providing Members of Parliament and the public with these studies. The more so as these studies do not concern current military operations, but are assessments of the impact of what the UK will do in the future. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Yours sincerely, (YOUR NAME)