Littleborough Peace Group Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament

Shoppers sign the Peace Group's petition

Members of Littleborough and District Peace Group were quick to respond to Gordon Brown’s admission last week that the government is, in fact, already committed to spending £25 billion on replacing the Trident nuclear weapons system, despite previous claims that no decision had been made. 

The peace campaigners asked shoppers in Yorkshire Street on Saturday 24 June to sign the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament’s petition calling on the government to scrap the existing Trident nuclear missile system and to halt all plans to replace it. They also urged supporters to send postcards to their MPs telling them how they would prefer the £25 billion to be spent. 

Philip Gilligan, on behalf of the group said: “Most Rochdalians would much prefer their money to be spent on improving the country’s health services than on developing ever more deadly weapons of mass destruction. Some were adamant that this money would be better spent on anything other than nuclear weapons. They clearly agreed with our posters calling for ‘WELFARE NOT WARFARE’; ‘TREATMENT NOT TRIDENT’. Thinking people, in our borough, will want answers from their MPs and, most especially from government ministers like Phil Woolas, about how they are going to stop this madness.” 

The peace group also distributed leaflets explaining that Rochdale’s share of the cost of replacing Trident will amount to no less than £87 million. They estimate that this, on its own, could pay for as many as 419 extra nurses each year for the next 10 years or for 175 extra midwives each year for the next 20 years.

Anyone wanting copies of the ‘No Trident Replacement’ petition forms can obtain them by phoning Philip Gilligan on 01706 370712.