“The majority of British people don’t want US nuclear weapons stationed here.”
Sophie Bolt spoke at Stop the War’s recent International Anti-War Conference. You can read her speech below.
I want to thank all of you, including our incredible international delegations, for sharing your inspiring struggles with us today.
This shows the true potential of our movement.
We must seize this opportunity to build a global majority for peace.
Because the world is at a critical point. Military spending is at unprecedented levels. And the threat of nuclear weapons being used in war once again is at its highest it has ever been.
Political leaders are building even more powerful nuclear weapons that could destroy our entire planet.
And spending record levels of our money to do it!
In France, President Macron plans to station nuclear jets right across Europe.
This is on top of the hundreds of new American nuclear bombs now deployed, ready to be used, at NATO bases in Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Turkey and now here in Britain too.
And not only is the British government building a whole new generation of nuclear-armed submarines – at a cost of over 200 billion pounds – it plans to buy F35A nuclear-capable fighter jets, which can launch Trump’s deadly nuclear bombs.
Our political leaders say these nuclear weapons will keep us safe. What lies they tell!
In reality, they are dragging us faster and faster towards nuclear war – not away from it.
Faster and faster towards climate catastrophe.
To greater poverty. The collapse of our public services.
And of course, all of this is fuelling the rise of the far right.
We all know how great these dangers are.
But more and more people are joining us in our struggle to stop this war drive, to abolish nuclear weapons and to fight for a better world.
Because we have the solutions to these worsening crises – not the war mongers!
And across the world, the US world order is being challenged like never before.
Here in Britain, opposition to Trump is huge. And there is growing support to break with this decades-old military alliance with the United States.
The majority of British people don’t want US nuclear weapons stationed here.
Protests and actions are still growing against British bases being used to support genocide against the Palestinian people and bomb Iran.
And so we have to seize this moment. Starting right here, in this room.
Let’s redouble our efforts. All of us from across the world here today.
We must work together in coordinated action to:
- shut down the military bases and kick out the nuclear weapons!
- defend our hospitals and education system
- rebuild our communities and stand up to the racist far right.
- force real action on climate change.
Together we can build a global majority for peace.
Never has this challenge been more urgent.
But, together we can – and we must – win.
Solidarity!
- Sophie Bolt is General Secretary of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament: you can follow her on Twitter/X and Instagram, and CND on Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram and TikTok.
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