Press Releases & Updates 2002

Bishop Budd, whose diocese covers much of the West Country stretching from the Scilly Isles in Cornwall to Bournemouth in Dorset is preparing a message of support to be used at the multi-faith service on Sunday at HMS Drake (2.30-3pm). He has also arranged one of the venues being used for accommodation by the campaigners during the camp. Richard Byrne, a member of Plymouth Trident Ploughshares who met with Bishop Budd earlier this month said, "We are delighted to have Bishop Christopher’s support and we hope he may be able to join us at some point during the camp. People of all faiths and none can see that Trident is an unethical, illegal and immoral weapon, which there can be no place for in a civilised society."

In February this year HMS Vanguard, the first of four Trident submarines, arrived in Devonport for its scheduled refit. It is expected that refitting the four submarines will take a total of eight years. This poses appalling hazards from radioactive emissions and horrifying danger from an accident or a terrorist attack to everybody who lives within at least a 30 mile radius of Plymouth, adding to the existing grave risk posed by the 12 nuclear powered submarines already sited at Devonport. And all in the middle of a major and densely populated city.

Trident Ploughshares was established in 1998 to challenge the UK’s illegal and immoral possession and threatened use of nuclear weapons. Trident Ploughshares activists pledge to dismantle the UK’s nuclear arsenal in a peaceful, non-violent, open and accountable manner. So far in the campaign there have been 1,790 arrests, 366 trials, 1,675 days spent in prison and £49,945 of fines and compensation orders.

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