by Dave Webb, Chair of YCND
Yorkshire Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament held its Annual General Meeting on 18th January 2025 in Huddersfield. With the world on the brink of chaos through the threat of nuclear war and the realities of climate change, plus the devastating wars in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan…. it was timely to bring together supporters to look back at our work and explore ways forward.
The annual review was presented by the Chair, Dave Webb, with a month-by-month slideshow of YCND activities in 2024, and a look at coordination and support roles.
CND continued to call for talks to stop the war in Ukraine, and opposed the use by Ukraine of UK Storm Shadow missiles to strike targets in Russia as a dangerous escalation risking a devastating response.
The continued destruction of Gaza, and the suffering of so many, was also a huge issue. We backed the calls for a ceasefire, supported student protest camps and joined, leafleted and spoke at the pro-Palestine weekly marches in the region.
Another major focus was at Lakenheath, where US nuclear bombs may already have arrived. CND supported events during the National Day of Action in May, and the events in July that included a 3-day march from Norwich to Lakenheath and to the Peace Camp.
Around 20-30 other events were held, including screenings of the film “Threads”; supporting demonstrations at Menwith Hill; “Artists against the Bomb” events; commemorations of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and support for the Nobel Peace Prize award to the survivors of the atomic bombings.
CND worked with the Leeds Peace Links committee to organise the annual O. Palme Peace Lecture, presented in 2024 by Jeremy Corbyn, at the Royal Armouries; and with the Movement for the Abolition of War to hold a Peace History Conference at the newly re-opened Peace Museum in Saltaire.
Following the review, Steve Barwick, Chair of the Trustees of the Nuclear Education Trust, spoke on: “What should the new Government’s Strategic Defence Review conclude about Nuclear Disarmament?” He highlighted the findings of NET’s report ‘The Future for UK Defence, Diplomacy and Disarmament ’ launched in Parliament in May. The report sought to identify how the UK can help reduce tensions and get the world back on a path to nuclear disarmament. The aim was to open up a debate between mainstream and more radical voices. This was followed by discussions on why people no longer seem to be concerned about nuclear disarmament — and how we might further progress the campaign in Parliament and elsewhere.
As for 2025: National CND is preparing a demonstration in March at Barrow, where nuclear submarines are built, and monthly vigils and a Peace Camp in April are to be held at Lakenheath. There will be much more.
Yorkshire CND will be planning our regional activities at our Strategy Day in March. If you would like to join in, contact info@yorkshirecnd.org.uk and find more information from www.yorkshirecnd.org.uk and www.cnduk.org.
More details of the AGM and Steve Barwick’s presentation will be posted on the Yorkshire CND website.