“We see actions being taken that actually bring the prospect of nuclear war closer than ever.”
Kate Hudson, CND
An interview with Kate Hudson, General Secretary of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) ahead of Saturday’s #PeaceNow day of action across Europe.
LO: Hello Kate, can you tell us more about how European movements are coming together to call for peace in Ukraine this weekend?
KH: We’re seeing an upsurge in anti-war protest in towns and cities across Europe this weekend. People are mobilising to demand negotiations to end the war and I know of at least 250 demonstrations taking place, in Italy, France, Spain, Belgium and many other places. We’re stepping up international co-ordination and solidarity.
LO: And there is a protest in London on Saturday too – what are its key demands?
KH: Yes we’re meeting at the BBC in Portland Place at 12 and marching to Trafalgar Square for a rally. We’re calling for peace talks now to end the war and expressing our opposition not only to the Russian invasion, but to NATO – and crucially to nuclear war.
LO: With the ongoing war in Ukraine, the danger of nuclear escalation is more regularly in the headlines than before, but sometimes it feels like it isn’t taking as seriously as it should be?
KH: Not only is it not being taken seriously, we see actions being taken that actually bring the prospect of nuclear war closer than ever. Politicians talk of using ‘tactical’ nukes as if you could confine their impact to the battlefield. Completely absurd. And Boris Johnson says Putin’s just bluffing and we should ignore his nuclear threats. Honestly you couldn’t make it up.
LO: What could Britain be doing to help advance the causes of peace and disarnament?
KH: We need the government to stop blocking negotiations. Hundreds of thousands have died in this war and this can only be stopped by getting peace talks underway. Our government also needs to stop pouring money into weapons for killing and start spending it on public services and decent wages. Scrapping Trident and cancelling its replacement is at the top of the list!
LO: Finally, please tell our readers anything else they can do to be backing CND’s key campaigns and work at the moment?
KH: As well as stopping the war and Scrapping Trident we’re also working to stop US nuclear weapons coming back to RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk and making us a nuclear target. Visit our website to find your local group, email your MP, or find out about our next actions and protests.
- Details of Saturday February 25’s Peace now in Ukraine demonstration in London can be found on CND’s website here and Stop the War Coalition’s Twitter here.
- You can follow Kate Hudson on Twitter here and CND here.
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