Support the nuclear ban treaty

We, the undersigned, call on the government to

• Sign and ratify the TPNW
• Commit to cancelling the replacement of Trident, Britain's nuclear weapons system

Background information

The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) has been ratified by the required 50 states and will now enter into force. The treaty will make it illegal under international law to develop, test, produce, manufacture, acquire, possess, stockpile, transfer, use or threaten to use nuclear weapons.

The UK’s nuclear weapons system, Trident, is irrelevant in dealing with the security problems we face today. Resources should instead be invested in dealing with actual threats, such as pandemics and climate change.

The UK can sign the treaty while it still possesses nuclear weapons, provided they are removed from operational status and a transition plan is in place for eventual disarmament. The government should sign the TPNW without hesitation, as part of its efforts towards global nuclear disarmament.