National Delegate Conference 19-22 June
2007
Trident threat to peace - and public services
Trident a target not a deterrent
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| John Stevenson |
Reaffirming its campaign to oppose Trident replacement, Conference
warned that the billions of pounds it would cost to replace the
missile would mean huge cuts in public services.
"The money for Trident doesn't come out of the defence budget.
It comes out of general revenue. It doesn't come from fewer tanks
- it comes from fewer public services and up to 3,000 fewer jobs
in Scotland", said Edinburgh's John Stevenson moving the motion
on behalf of three branches, Scotland and the NEC.
But it was not just the £76 billion costs that mattered,
there were legal and moral arguments against Trident.
"As long ago as 1996 some of the judges on the International
Court of Justice concluded that the use of nuclear weapons was inadmissible
in any circumstances. That is our position in UNISON", said
John.
He told delegates that MSP Michael Matheson has drafted a Bill
for the Scottish Parliament to make it an offence to support or
commission acts furthering the threat to use or the use of nuclear
weapons of mass destruction.
"We are proud of the majority of Scottish MPs who voted to
scrap the weapons. Of over half of all Labour backbench MPs who
voted against. We are proud of the MSPs, most of whom oppose Trident.
We need to build and maintain links with them and this motion calls
for that", said John.
John argued there was public support for UNISON's position. "58%
of people oppose Trident at this cost and almost half at any cost.
8 out of 10 want a full parliamentary debate and that is what we
want and what this motion calls for", he said.
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| Mike Kirby |
Scottish Convenor Mike Kirby warned that Trident was "a target
not a deterrent".
"This is not 'NIMBY (not in my back yard) because I would
not wish it in your backyard", said Mike.
Backing the economic argument, Mike pointed out that Trident replacement
threatens other economic development and current and future public
services. A report by Scottish CND and the STUC showed that replacing
Trident will cost more jobs than it provides.
"But the funds released by arms conversion would create a
major opportunity for proactive investment particularly in renewable
energy development and manufacturing", stressed Mike.
The report challenged false claims that 11,000 jobs would be lost
if Trident were not replaced. In fact the reduction in direct, indirect
and civilian employment would be less that 1,600 and that would
take until 2022.
Concluding, John Stevenson turned to the moral argument.
"At the STUC in April, our regional secretary Matt Smith quoted
former UN Nuclear Weapons Inspector Hans Blicks who said. "So long
as any state has nuclear weapons, others will want them - and so
long as any such weapons remain there is a risk they will one day
be used by design or accident. And such use would be catastrophic".
"As Matt told the STUC. That is the argument. Not the cost.
Not the arms race. Not defence. But basic simple humanity For humanity's
sake, say no to Trident"
Click
here for the full motion
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