London sees the biggest anti-nuclear weapons demo in a generation

Thousands braved the cold today to express their opposition to the renewal of Trident, the nuclear weapons system many deluded people believe will keep them ‘safe’.

We are reminded of the the story of two men in a car, one of them throwing peanuts through the car window. The other asks him why he’s doing that. ‘It’s to keep the elephants away’, comes the response. ‘But I don’t see any elephants’. ‘Precisely, says the peanuts thrower, ‘you see, it works!’

The message was clear. Rather than wasting £100+billion in a useless, dangerous and immoral weapons system, that money should be invested in health, education, housing, the protection of the vulnerable and security coherent with the real dangers facing the world today.

The list of speakers was impressive as they represented a wide cross-section of the population:

Chair: Kate Hudson – General Secretary Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, (CND), Roger McKenzie – Assistant General Secretary, UNISON, Sam Fairbairn – National Secretary, People’s Assembly against Austerity, Vanessa Redgrave – star of stage and screen, Bishop Stephen Cottrell (Anglican Bishop of Chelmsford) speaking, accompanied by faith leaders Bishop Thomas McMahon (RC), Rachel Lampard – Methodist Church, Paul Parker – Quakers, Mohammed Kozbar – Muslim Association of Britain, Rev. Nagase – Buddhist Community (one of the faith leaders will read out a multi-faith statement after Bishop Stephen has spoken), Leanne Wood – leader of Plaid Cymru, the Party of Wales, Caroline Lucas MP, Green Party, Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland, Mark Serwotka, General Secretary of the Public and Commercial Services union, Raghad Tikriti – Muslim Association of Britain, Lindsey German – convenor, Stop the War Coalition, Bruce Kent – Vice-President, CND, Danielle Tiplady – student nurse, Sharon Dolev – Israeli Disarmament Movement, Shakira Martin – Vice-President NUS (Further Education), Rev. Giles Fraser – priest, writer and broadcaster, Christine Blower – General Secretary, National Union of Teachers, Francesca Martinez – comedian, Tariq Ali – writer and anti-war activist, John Boulton – Veterans for Peace, Reiner Braun – International Peace Bureau, Jeremy Corbyn – Leader of the Labour Party

Here are some images: