Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament: Parliament Speech 18/06/2016
Trident, for those who don't know, refers mainly to nuclear warheads which were first obtained by our government during the Cold War, a post WW2 period which saw a nuclear arms race between the USA and former USSR (now Russia) and their allies.
The renewal of Trident (which is now due) would cost the UK over 167 billion pounds, and our government is very keen is to ensure this takes place, telling us that Trident is "a strong deterrent" against threats "from countries like Russia" and places the UK "in a leading position in the world". The governments defence of trident should teach us several things, the first is that austerity, despite what the government may say, is been done by choice, not because it is necessary.
Right now, the most poorest and vulnerable within society are been told that devastating budget cuts to education, welfare and local infrastructure are been done because "we have no money" and "the books must be balanced". At a time where our NHS, schools and hospitals are facing a funding and resource crisis, it should be known that the money spent on Trident could fully fund A&E services for 40 years, employ 150,000 new nurses, build 1.5 million affordable homes, build 30,000 new primary schools, or cover tuition fees for 4 million students.
The second thing we should learn from the government defence of trident is the use of fear to justify the expenditure into weapons of mass destruction, even though no sane living person would ever want to be responsible for using them. Supporters of Trident consistently presents us with "what if, Russia" scenarios.
Now let me make this clear, I have no reason, or interest in providing one ounce of support to Russia in anything, but what I do know is that a bus driver, student or nurse in Sheffield has more in common with a bus driver, student or nurse in Moscow than either of them has with their political leaders in both countries, and that our political leaders have more in common which each other than they have with us. When we understand this, or when we actually meet students from countries like Russia on our own university campuses, and realise they are no different to us, then we begin to see just how much the element of fear is secluded into us, which takes me to my last point, probably the most important, a question to us all, what type of world and society do we want ourselves, our children and grandchildren to live in?
Do we want to live in society where people understand that education and global welfare is the most powerful tool to change, develop and bring peace to our world or one which resorts to investing in weapons which we hope no one would ever use instead?
Do we want to live in a global community, where we fight global issues such as climate change, poverty and wealth inequality together or one in which we are divided by man made borders, medieval disputes and a political class which shows no interest in solving them?
Do we really want to live in world where even in the richest countries, the poorest, most vulnerable and needy in society are forced into poverty, local libraries, youth services and mental health clinics are shutdown and schools, hospitals and state housing are taken to the brink, simply to ensure we can keep weapons like Trident?
Renewing Trident won't put the UK "in a leading position in the world" infact, it'll do the exact opposite, you see, the UK will take a leading position in the world when our NHS is great again, when our schools flourish again, when disabled people don't have to take to the streets to make the devastating impacts of budget cuts in their lives known, when our students aren't saddled in debt simply for wanting to study and give back to our society, when our pensioners don't have to fear the harsh winter because they can't afford to put the heating on, when our juniors doctors don't have to strike to stop a government from placing them into contracts which are neither fair or safe, when our nurses, our teachers and our public workers are valued by their government rather than being treated like trash again and again...
This has been a long speech, possibly the longest I've ever done, but I wanted to share my belief that a better world is possible, that there is an alternative, that our ambitions and demands for a nuclear weapon free world is not unreasonable, and yes I'm aware that me and the billions across the globe who share my opinion will be called dreamers, but in my view, we a far far more awake and aware of our surroundings and our world than those who choose to willingly accept things as they are and follow governments which couldn't see better.
