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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Greater Manchester & District Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
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DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260307T130000
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SUMMARY:Britain’s war economy - why we need an alternative
DESCRIPTION:Britain’s public services – education\, healthcare\, local government\, mail\, and transport – are all suffering from chronic neglect and underinvestment. \nThe North West ranks as the second most deprived area in the country. In Manchester\, a high of 41% of neighbourhoods are classed as deprived whilst Barrow\, host to BAE Systems’ nuclear submarine programme\, has a considerable concentration of unemployment and high rates of child poverty. \nMassive public investment is needed to rebuild the social and economic fabric of working-class communities. Yet amidst intensifying global conflict\, escalating climate crisis and soaring inequality – with the decision to dramatically increase defence spending in its 2024 Strategic Defence Review\, the Labour government committed to increasing defence spending to 2.5% of GDP.  At the same time\, it decided to cut spending on education. \nAnd now\, under political pressure from Trump\, as Starmer moves the country towards actual ‘war-fighting readiness’\, the military spend is expected to ratchet up to 5 per cent of GDP. \nThe government presents the increase in arms manufacturing as the way out for the country’s economic and social problems\, announcing new jobs in the sector as good for local communities as a whole. \nBut\, the ever-higher expenditure on arms means less money for our education\, health\, councils\, and the green transition: the plans will not only exacerbate our problems but tie us ever more closely to the US\, carrying us rapidly along the path to war between the major powers. \nTo the country and the North West region’s shame\, British participation in the F-35 programme has implicated us in Israel’s grave violations of international law in Gaza. \nAnd now\, Starmer’s approach towards militarisation is reaching out into wider society and schools. \nA resolution on Wages not Weapons was passed last year by the TUC Congress\, calling for the reversal of policy dating from 2022\, of support for immediate increases in defence spending.  Noting that ‘actively campaigning for ever-higher spending on arms risks signalling approval of a wider drive to war\, it called on the trade union movement to ‘stand\, in our best traditions\, for peace and against militarisation’. \nThe North West\, home to leading arms companies including BAE systems\, MBDA\, Thales and WFEL\, is seen as a ‘national strategic asset’.  Potential sites for new munitions factories have been identified in the region\, whilst the UK’s National Cyber Force (NCF) was recently opened by BAE Systems in Lancashire. \nBased on CND’s recent Alternative Defence Review\, this event aims to raise awareness of militarisation and its wider impact on the North West and to come up with concrete strategies for taking the TUC motion into workplaces and communities\, focusing on developing practical ideas on: \nWhat are the costs and consequences of increasing military spending? How do we stop the race to war? \nHow can we tackle the government’s arguments that investment in the military sector is good for the country? How should trade unions and communities respond? In which areas can we have the most effect? \nThere will be a panel session featuring leading figures in the peace movement\, Kate Hudson (Vice President of CND) and Alex Gordon (National Officer of Stop the War Coalition and formerly President of the National Union of Rail\, Maritime and Transport Workers)\, plus contributions from peace campaigners in Germany and Belgium\nBut mostly\, this conference is about what you can do. There will be breakout sessions focusing on specific areas of work\, such as: \n\nHow to initiate conversations in workplaces and communities;\nHow to link the concerns of workers in service sector and military manufacturing;\nHow to put our leading positions in education\, science and innovation to use to foster peace and development rather than confrontation;\nHow to build new networks for peace\, bringing industry\, local government\, universities and research centres together.\n\nSaturday 7th March\, Cross St Chapel\, Cross St\, Manchester M2 1NL\, from 1pm-4.30pm. There will be refreshments. \nYou can register for the event here!
URL:https://gmdcnd.org/event/britains-war-economy-why-we-need-an-alternative/
LOCATION:Cross Street Chapel\, Cross Street\, Manchester\, Greater Manchester\, M2 1NL\, United Kingdom
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SUMMARY:No to Nuclear: Book Launch Conversation with Linda Pentz Gunther & Martin Empson
DESCRIPTION:The UK government is eager to expand nuclear power\, following the example of the United States. It asserts that nuclear power is “domestic” energy\, protects national security\, provides jobs and keeps electricity bills down. But is any of this true? \nIn her new book\, No To Nuclear: Why Nuclear Power Destroys Lives\, Derails Climate Progress and Provokes War\, Linda Pentz Gunter debunks the pro-nuclear myths\, and shows how choosing nuclear power will guarantee continued use of fossil fuels\, squeezing out renewables and actually making climate change worse. \nBut she also looks at the nuclear power and nuclear weapons story —inextricably linked\, especially through Britain’s Trident nuclear submarine fleet — from the perspective of the people the entire nuclear sector harms. \nIn an articulate\, compelling\, and vivid writing style\, Pentz Gunter brings home the significant toll on people\, animals and nature\, reflecting on our destructive compulsion to damage the only place we can call home. \nShe reveals how Indigenous communities and working people\, especially those of colour\, are deliberately targeted by every aspect of the nuclear power and weapons complex\, preyed upon for profit\, a form of colonialist adventurism that ensures the suffering of the many to enrich the few. The book is guaranteed to provoke a lively debate and is essential reading for those who care about climate and the sustainable stewardship of Planet Earth. \nLinda Pentz Gunther will be in conversation with Manchester-based campaigner Martin Empson\, a long-standing member of Campaign Against Climate Change. He is the treasurer of the campaign’s trade union group and helped initiate the Million Climate Jobs campaign. Martin is a socialist\, based in Manchester and has written on questions relating to the environment and capitalism as well as the social movements needed to stop environmental disaster. He is the author of System Change Not Climate Change: A Revolutionary Repsonse to Environmental Crisis (Booksmarks\, 2019). \nJoin us on Saturday 14th March from 2-4pm at Cross St Chapel\, to meet Linda and discuss the issues! \nRegister here.
URL:https://gmdcnd.org/event/no-to-nuclear-book-launch-conversation-with-linda-pentz-gunther-martin-empson/
LOCATION:Cross Street Chapel\, Cross Street\, Manchester\, Greater Manchester\, M2 1NL\, United Kingdom
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ORGANIZER;CN="Greater Manchester & District CND":MAILTO:gmdcnd@gn.apc.org
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