Rochdale peace campaigners help close nuclear bomb factory

Three members of Rochdale and Littleborough Peace Group travelled the 200 miles to Berkshire yesterday (2 March 2015) to support the blockade of the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Burghfield, near Aldermaston. Mai Chatham, Pat Sanchez and Philip Gilligan from Littleborough joined hundreds of other anti-nuclear protesters from around the country who blockaded all three entrances to facility which develops warheads for the Trident nuclear weapons system. The blockade started at 07:00 GMT and also included protesters from France and Finland. Action AWE, which organised the "Burghfield Lockdown", said the protest aimed to bring "work on Trident warheads to a halt". Campaigners locked themselves to each other and to concrete blocks and were successful in stopping all traffc in and out of the area where new buildings are being constructed.

Pat Sanchez said " We were delighted to do something to slow down production of these dangerous and evil weapons of mass destruction. They threaten all of us and our planet on a daily basis. If used they will destroy us all. We need to scrap them now. We need to stop squandering £billions on ways to destroy our world and to use these wasted resources for the services we urgently need. We need these £billions for our NHS, to bulid homes, for schools and social care services. We should not be wasting them on nuclear weapons that threaten all our futures. 

Rochdale campaigners join 'peace-knits' to Wrap Up Trident

Rochdale and Littleborough Peace Group joined thousands of protesters from around the country on Saturday (24 January 2015) to wrap the Ministry of Defence in two miles of the bright pink peace scarf knitted for the Wool Against Weapons campaign. They, then joined a rally opposite the Houses of Parliament, where the crowd carried placards with messages including "A&E not WMD", "Books Not Bombs" "Jobs Not Trident"., "NHS Not Trident" and "Homes Not Trident". They called on the Government to "wrap up" the ever more costly Trident nuclear missiles programme.

Philip Gilligan, on behalf of the Peace Group said “We are here to give the government and our own MPs a very clear message. They need to take the issue of the £billions squandered on useless and dangerous nuclear weapons more seriously. When Rochdale and the rest of the country desperately needs an end to austerity and improved health, education and social services, it is unacceptable for our MPs to remain indifferent and non-committal about plans to waste a further £100 billion on developing an even more dangerous Trident system. We need them to tell us much more clearly what they think about the Trident system and plans to replace it. Last week Simon Danczuk and Liz MMcInnes had a clear opportunity in Parliament to represent the views of their electorates and to vote against so-called 'Trident Replacement'. I am appalled that they failed to do so. Failing to vote and avoiding discussion is not enough.”

Peace Group calls on Rochdale MPs to support diversion of £billions from Trident to the NHS

At its January meeting (14 January 2015), Rochdale and Littleborough Peace Group welcomed news that former deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott has come ‘round to the view that the £billions currently earmarked for a new nuclear submarine fleet should be diverted to spending on the NHS.

Peace Group members were delighted to learn that Mr Prescott has suggested a straightforward way of resolving the deteriorating situation in the NHS. In an article in the Mirror, at the weekend, he expressed admiration for hospital workers caring for his sister, but also noted that “councils have cut their care budgets – so more elderly patients have to stay in hospital blocking beds because there aren’t the care packages to help them in the community” and that “A&E waiting times are now the worst since records began”. He concluded that “Crisis hit hospitals deserve our cash more than nuclear submarines”. (see http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/john-prescott-crisis-hit-hospitals-4957260#ICID=sharebar_twitter )

Speaking on behalf of the Peace Group, Philip Gilligan said, "We know that Liz McInnes and Simon Danczuk share John Prescott’s horror at the impact of austerity on our health and social services. What we, now, need from our local MPs are clear promises that, if re-elected in May, they too would support a policy of diverting the £billions destined for a new nuclear weapons system to spending on the NHS. Will they join the former deputy leader of the Labour Party in stating unequivocally that cancelling so-called ‘Trident Replacement’, so that our loved ones can be cared for properly, is “a price worth paying”."

Peace Group asks what Rochdale wants for Christmas

Peace campaigners from Rochdale and Littleborough Peace Group donned Santa hats in Yorkshire Street on Saturday (13 December 2014) to ask Rochdale's shoppers what they really want for Christmas. Their giant letter read "Dear Santa, We live in Rochdale and we have tried to be good this year. What we really want for Christmas is to know that the government will stop wasting £billions on the Trident nuclear weapons system and will start spending this money on:" Individuals were invited to write their own suggestions on squares which they added to the board. Many focused on the health service, including requests for better hospital services in Rochdale, nurses and doctors.

Philip Gilligan, on behalf of the Peace Group said “Christmas shoppers in Yorkshire Street were very clear that they think that the £3billion which the government wastes every year on the Trident nuclear weapons system can be better spent on everything from better services for Alzheimers patients to allotments; an end to the bedroom tax to more midvives and from crossing ladies to better mental heath services and jobs for learning disabled people. They are angry that successive governments have continued to squander £billions on useless and dangerous nuclear weapons of mass destruction, but constantly divert scarce resources from the public services we all need. They want the Trident system decommissioned and they want the government to scrap plans to squander another £100billion on even more dangerous and expensive nuclear weapons. They want the money which could so easily be saved to be spent on the NHS, the jobs, the homes and the social and education services we need.”

Britain Needs A Pay Rise Not Nuclear Weapons

Peace campaigners from Rochdale and Littleborough Peace Group joined tens of thousands of other trade unionists in London on Saturday (18 October 2014). They formed part of the Peace Bloc on the TUC’s ‘Britain Needs A Pay Rise’ march which culminated with a rally in Hyde Park.

Philip Gilligan, on behalf of the Peace Group said “Ordinary people in Rochdale and throughout the country have seen their real incomes drop year on year. Wages and benefits are not keeping pace with people’s increased costs of living. Meanwhile, successive governments have continued to squander £billions on useless and dangerous nuclear weapons of mass destruction which not only threaten the destruction of our world, but constantly divert scarce resources from the public services we all need. We agree with the TUC that Britain needs a pay rise and we know that the country could afford this, if the government would stop wasting £3billion per year on the Trident nuclear weapons system and scrap plans to squander another £100billion on even more dangerous and expensive nuclear weapons. We need a government that will scrap Trident and put the resources saved into the NHS, the jobs, the homes and the social and education services we need.”

Rochdale Peace Campaigners say 'Bombing is not the answer!'

Rochdale and Littleborough Peace Group took to the street immediately on Friday (26 September 2014) to protest against the parliamentary vote to join the US-led bombing campaign in Iraq and Syria. They unfurled a large banner reading 'Bombing is not the answer!' and displayed peace flags at the junction of A58 and A664 in Sudden.

Philip Gilligan said,

"‘The grim atrocities carried out by the so-called Islamic State (IS) have rightly shocked and repulsed the world, but heaping further atrocities onto the people of Iraq cannot be the answer. Airstrikes will inevitably result in the deaths of civilians; innocent children, women and men who have played no part in the actions of IS. It was the illegal invasion of Iraq in 2003 that led to the chaos which has allowed the rise of the so-called Islamic State What is needed now is urgent humanitarian assistance, political pressure and working with allies in the region to halt the spread of this murderous group: not another disastrous and ill-conceived bombing campaign which will make the situation worse.’

Peace Group expresses sadness at death of Jim Dobbin MP

Rochdale and Littleborough Peace Group has expressed its sadness at the sudden death of Jim Dobbin MP.

Philip Gilligan said,

“This is a very sad loss for our borough and for parliament. Jim was a politician who could be relied on to act on principle and to promote the cause of peace. He voted against the invasion of Iraq in 2003 and remained firm in his consistent opposition to plans to renew the Trident nuclear weapons system. The peace group greatly welcomed Jim’s support and encouragement over many years. He will be sadly missed.”