Britain's New Bomb Programme Exposed

On 24 September 1996 the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) was opened for signatures. The treaty banned all nuclear tests – thus stopping new countries acquiring nuclear weapons, and existing nuclear-weapons states from developing new nuclear weapons. Alongside the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), it was hailed as a major step towards nuclear disarmament. At the time, the Labour Government played a key role in pushing for the treaty and in urging other countries to support it. This briefing reveals: • how now, 10 years on, the UK Government risks destroying the treaty; • how billions of pounds are currently being invested in building hi-tech equipment at the Aldermaston nuclear weapons laboratory; • that the new facilities planned for the site enable Aldermaston to design and build new nuclear weapons; and • scientists’ concerns – that taking a high-tech approach to the virtual design and development of new nuclear weapons will inevitably lead to a return to full scale nuclear testing. It also: • examines testimonies from leading US nuclear weapons scientists who are convinced that, despite what the British Government says, such facilities are not needed to simply maintain the safety and reliability of our existing nuclear weapons; • explains how UK development of new nuclear weapons threatens to destroy both the CTBT and the NPT; • considers what the knock-on effect of the collapse of these treaties could have for global security; and • calls on the UK Government to adopt a new approach towards security. All this is happening prior to any parliamentary or public debate on whether the UK should build a nuclear weapons system. Fundamental questions such as: How are Cold War nuclear weapons relevant to 21st century foreign policy?; What real threats does the UK face?; and ‘What effect would building a new bomb have on international disarmament negotiations?’ all remain unanswered. Greenpeace is calling on the Government to announce a moratorium on new nuclear weapons development, take our Trident submarines off patrol and place the UK’s nuclear weapons in an internationally monitored store on land. The Government should then use these measures to encourage other countries to follow suit and help restart stalled multilateral disarmament.