J&P Scotland saddened by government plan to increase nuclear arsenal

In response to the UK Prime Minister's statement on Tuesday 16th March 2021, about plans to increase the UK's nuclear warhead stockpiles by 40% from 180 warheads to 260 warheads Justice & Peace Scotland have issued the following statement:

Justice and Peace Scotland is deeply saddened at the decision announced today that the UK government intends to increase the stockpile of nuclear weapons.

This decision reverses nearly 30 years of gradual disarmament and is in breach of the government's commitments under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Since 1982 the Bishops' Conference of Scotland has condemned the use, or threat of use of nuclear weapons as immoral. In 2017 His Holiness Pope Francis noted that the very possession of these weapons is to be firmly condemned.

After more than a decade of austerity followed by year of the COVID pandemic for the government to squander more money in this manner, when men, women and children in this country and around the world are in desperate need is a failure of leadership. We have lived with these weapons for far too long. The threat of nuclear arms poisons the soul of humanity, just as their use is the most immoral evil any state, or leader could commit against creation.