Scottish Catholic Observer

MPs are expected to vote to renew the Trident nuclear weapons system on Monday.

In a statement, Scotland’s eight Catholic Bishops said that nuclear weapons were fundamentally ‘immoral’ due to the indiscriminate destruction of innocent human life that their use would cause.

“We have for a long time pointed out the immorality of the use of strategic nuclear weapons due to the indiscriminate destruction of innocent human life that their use would cause,” they say. “The renewal of Trident is questioned not just by those concerned with the morality of nuclear weapons themselves but also by those concerned about the use of scarce financial resources.”

Echoing the Pope’s words that ‘spending on nuclear weapons squanders the wealth of nations’ the bishops say: “Lives are being lost now because money that could be spent on the needy and the poor is tied up in nuclear arsenals.”

They conclude: “The United Kingdom, permanent member of the UN Security Council and declared nuclear power, signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in 1968.

“That treaty binds signatories who do not have nuclear weapons not to acquire them, but it also binds those who do have nuclear weapons to work towards the disposing and elimination of all nuclear weapons. Britain should take more decisive and courageous steps to revive that aspect of the treaty and not seek to prolong the status quo.”

Bishop Hugh Gilbert of Aberdeen said the statement was intended to ‘seek a way forward which is both progressive and ideally leads to a general mutual disarmament, to the point where these dreadful weapons no longer exist.’

“We have reaffirmed the teaching against the use of any such weapons of mass destruction, not least in light of the expense of their manufacture and maintenance when there are so many basic social and community needs not being adequately addressed or met,” he said.

“It is hard for us to envisage how the renewal of Trident would contribute to a juster or safer world.”

Bishop Gilbert also reflected that Pope Francis not only ‘asked us to desire such a nuclear weapon free world, but admonishes us “to work” for it.’

“In order to achieve this world, one must work to replace apathy with empathy, conformity with critical thinking, ignorance with wisdom, and denial with recognition of the threat these weapons pose to humankind and the human future,” he said.

“Indeed, Pope Francis calls upon us to recognise that there is an “urgent need” for such work. It is not work for a distant day, or work that can be put off to another time. The matter is urgent, the need is great.”

David Cameron made the announcement that there would be a vote on renewal at a NATO summit in Poland the week before he stepped down as prime minister.

Commenting on the UK’s defence spending commitments, he told a press conference: “We must also invest in the ultimate insurance policy of all—our nuclear deterrent.”

“So today I can announce that we’ll hold a parliamentary vote on July 18 to confirm Members of Parliaments’ support for the renewal of a full fleet of four nuclear submarines capable of providing around-the-clock cover,” he said.

“The nuclear deterrent remains essential in my view, not just to Britain’s security, but as our allies have acknowledged here today, to the overall security of the NATO alliance.”

The Labour Party is in the midst of a defence review, which reports suggest will leave open the option of retaining the deterrent, despite leader Jeremy Corbyn’s support for unilateral disarmament.

The SNP opposes the renewal of Trident and wants to see Britain’s nuclear arsenal, based on the Clyde at Faslane naval base, disarmed.

Demonstrations against the renewal were due to be held in towns and cities across Scotland, including Glasgow and Edinburgh, on Saturday.

—[email protected]