Peace campaigners from across the country are taking part in actions this Saturday 7 December calling on the British government to step back from the nuclear brink and withdraw its use of Storm Shadow missiles from Ukraine.
This follows weeks of escalation by NATO and Russia, which has led to an increased nuclear threat in Europe.
Protest calling on Ukraine, NATO, and Russia to step back
Protests, rallies, vigils and street stalls are being organised in Bath, Birmingham, Manchester, Plymouth, Brighton, Newcastle and London.
The protests are part of an emergency day of action called by CND and Stop the War Coalition. In London, a rally will take place from 2:30pm on the green space next to the Ministry of Defence, opposite Downing Street.
Protestors will be wearing Keir Starmer masks and brandishing Storm Shadow ‘missiles’.
CND General Secretary Sophie Bolt said:
“The British government is playing a reckless game, risking the lives of even more Ukrainians, Russians as well as populations in Europe and Britain. Giving Ukraine the use of its long-range missiles to fire into Russia will not make any difference to the outcome of the conflict. Instead, Starmer risks dragging Britain into an all-out war with nuclear-armed NATO and Russia.
“Starmer’s government argues it needs to increase military spending to defend us against a more insecure world, but British military actions are worsening this insecurity, not resolving it. Britain needs to withdraw the missiles and get behind peace talks now.”
Stop the War Coalition Convenor Lindsey German said:
“NATO expansion has made eastern Europe more dangerous and for the Labour government to endorse Volodymyr Zelensky’s view, in his desperate efforts to get a favourable deal with incoming US president Donald Trump, that NATO membership is the way to end the war, is foolish and cynical. He knows one reason for the conflict was precisely this.
“Zelensky is also having to deal with the growing unpopularity of the war among the population and the discontent among troops, with desertions growing rapidly. We desperately need peace negotiations but, just as in Tony Blair’s time, our government, given a choice between international law, morality and common decency, will always come down on the side of war. Starmer, Lammy and the rest must be stopped.”
Featured image via the Canary
