Letter to MSPs June 2007

The following letter was sent to all MSPs following the debate on Trident in the Scottish Parliament on 14 June 2007.

Dear

Our congratulations and thanks on the part you played in the historic debate and vote on nuclear weapons in the Scottish Parliament.

In view of this important debate on the serious issues involved in Patrick Harvie's motion calling on the UK Parliament not to go ahead with the renewal of Trident at this time, we are also writing to express our concern that the MSP for Helensburgh, Jackie Baillie, avoided the critical moral, legal, safety and security questions and instead used her time to attack Faslane 365 and the Faslane Peace Camp. As the Steering Group of Faslane 365, some of whom live at the Camp, we feel that Ms Baillie's disinformation and allegations should not go unchallenged. At the same time, we would prefer to focus on how we can all work together to make Scotland nuclear free and prevent the unlawful renewal and continued deployment of the Trident nuclear weapon system.

Rather than take up your valuable time by refuting each erroneous point in detail, we would like here to point out that members of Faslane 365 have regularly liaised with Strathclyde police over traffic management during blockades and a number of our suggestions are being considered. We have met with local people on several occasions to discuss ways to lessen the impact of our protests on those using public roads for peaceful purposes. In particular, contrary to the impression given by Ms Baillie, blockading groups changed tactics to ensure that no children would be delayed in reaching school during the Summer exam period - and none were; we have a standing arrangement with the police to ensure that blockades will move as soon as asked to give access and passage to emergency vehicles; no discos or barbecues have ever been planned at the Faslane cemetery.

Nor is she right to imply that there is only one road out of the Rosneath Peninsula, though we do acknowledge that avoiding the A814 past the Faslane naval base may involve a detour of several miles. We emphasise that though thousands of people have participated during 141 days of visible protests since October 1st 2006, there have been around 800 arrests, with most protesters held overnight; yet only 32 are actually being prosecuted, with no-one yet being found guilty of an offence. Of the blockaders, almost all have done their utmost to blockade the base entrance rather than the roads, but some ended up protesting in the road because of the barriers and police lines by the gates. Though we consider it important to continue to draw attention to and prevent the unlawful nuclear weapons-related work at the base, we are continuing to work with police and local people to resolve these issues. As for the recent problems at the Peace Camp to which Ms Baillie alluded, we do not feel it is appropriate to go into detail here because they involved visitors to the camp with mental health problems. The camp has a residents' council and a consensus decision-making structure, and works cooperatively with Faslane 365. The situation has now been resolved with the visitors concerned voluntarily leaving.

We could provide more detailed chapter and verse to refute Ms Baillie's various allegations, but think it is more constructive to focus on the real issue - the necessity to rid Scotland - and the rest of Britain and the world - of nuclear weapons. However, please do not hesitate to contact the Faslane 365 Steering Group if you want to discuss questions raised by our civil resistance, and we will be glad to give you the full facts.

Over the past nine months, Faslane 365 has effectively increased public pressure and raised public awareness of the real issues at stake in the ongoing deployment of Trident. We have involved people from all walks of life in demonstrating that the current Westminster government's plan to replace Trident is wrong and would violate international law and Britain's treaty obligations. We have also drawn attention to the dangerous insecurity and waste of resources inherent in Trident and sought to demonstrate the links between nuclear insecurity and important challenges, including human rights and climate change.

Faslane 365 works with many other peace and justice organisations in calling for the UK to take the lead in abolishing nuclear weapons and fulfil its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. This campaign has contributed to highlighting the depth and breadth of public opposition to Trident both within Scotland and throughout the UK and internationally. Among the participants, there have been members of the Scottish, Westminster and European parliaments, eminent writers like AL Kennedy and Adrian Mitchell, scholars such as former UN Assistant Secretary General Professor Sir Richard Jolly, clergy including the Bishop of Reading Stephen Cotterell, many local and international peace and justice groups, leading environmentalist groups like Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace, human rights advocates like Nobel Laureate Mairead Maguire, and concerned doctors, lawyers, teachers, students and citizens from all walks of life - all united in a determination to make Scotland - and the world - nuclear free.

As a Member of the Scottish Parliament which has just voted to carry the Parliamentary Motion against Trident replacement we hope you will also support the Faslane 365 citizen's mobilisation and civil resistance to nuclear weapons. Please find attached the Statement of Support for Faslane 365, which has been signed by several Nobel Laureates, eminent diplomats, professors, prominent writers and artists, as well as twenty-three members of the previous Scottish Parliament. The names of all signatories can be viewed on the Faslane 365 website. We hope you will want to add yours.

For further information, we invite you to visit our website at http://faslane365.org/ or call us on 07768-312676 or email info@faslane365.org .

Yours sincerely,

Adam Conway, Rebecca Johnson, Brian Larkin, Anna-Linnea Rundberg, Jane Tallents, and Angie Zelter of the Faslane 365 Steering Group.