Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament

In British politics, the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament has been at the forefront of the peace movement in the United Kingdom and claims to be Europe's largest single-issue peace campaign.

Related Topics:
British politics - Peace movement - United Kingdom - Single-issue peace campaign

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Its logo, designed in 1958 by Gerald Holtom, became widespread outside of Britain during the 1960s as the "peace symbol". The peace symbol is based on the international semaphore symbols for "N" and "D" (for Nuclear Disarmament) enclosed within a circle. There is a common misconception that Bertrand Russell designed the logo, stemming from him being president of CND at the time.

Related Topics:
1958 - Gerald Holtom - 1960s - Peace symbol - Semaphore - Bertrand Russell

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In 1960 Bertrand Russell resigned from the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, in order to form a more militant group called the Committee of 100.

Related Topics:
1960 - Bertrand Russell - Militant - Committee of 100

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As well as campaigning against military actions that may result in the use of nuclear, chemical or biological weapons, in favour of nuclear disarmament by all countries and of tighter international regulation through treaties such as the NPT. The most famous and longest standing annual march is that from Trafalgar Square, London to the Aldermaston Atomic Weapons Factory, held every Easter weekend, taking the whole four days to complete.

Related Topics:
Nuclear - Chemical - Biological weapon - NPT - Trafalgar Square - London - Aldermaston Atomic Weapons Factory

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Prominent founding members of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament included Fenner Brockway, Canon John Collins, E. P. Thompson, Michael Foot, Victor Gollancz, Bertrand Russell, A.J.P. Taylor, and Dora Russell. Its founder organizer was Peggy Duff. Although many of its members, including religious groups that make up a significant minority of the active membership, are pacifist, the organisation itself is not. Much of CND's historical archive is at the Modern Records Centre University of Warwick and the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Related Topics:
Fenner Brockway - Canon John Collins - E. P. Thompson - Michael Foot - Victor Gollancz - Bertrand Russell - A.J.P. Taylor - Dora Russell - Peggy Duff - Pacifist - University of Warwick - London School of Economics and Political Science

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In the early 1980s the organisation underwent a major revival, as tensions between the superpowers rose with the deployment of American Pershing II cruise missiles in Western Europe and SS20s in the Soviet Bloc countries and the Thatcher government replacing the Polaris armed submarine fleet with Trident. During this period Bruce Kent was General secretary and Joan Ruddock was chair of the organisation.

Related Topics:
1980s - Pershing II - Cruise missiles - SS20s - Thatcher - Polaris - Submarine - Trident - Bruce Kent - General secretary - Joan Ruddock - Chair

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Today, CND has several priority campaigns:

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• "Scrap Trident": Against the UK's nuclear weapons
• "Missile Defence: The New Threat": Against the US Strategic Defense Initiative
• "No to NATO"
• "Stop the Plutonium Trade"

In an end to its single-issue focus on the nuclear issue, it has become a focus for organising resistance campaigns to the present US/British policy of interventionist wars in the Middle East since 2001. Opponents of the wars who don't even agree with CND on nuclear weapons can now find themselves directed through it. Along with the Stop the War Coalition and the Muslim Association of Britain it organised several anti-war marches under the main slogan "Don't Attack Iraq," including those on September 28, 2002 and February 15, 2003 in London, and also a Vigil for the Victims of the London bombings on July 9, 2005 in London.

Related Topics:
Middle East - 2001 - Stop the War Coalition - Muslim Association of Britain - Anti-war marches - Don't Attack Iraq - September 28 - 2002 - February 15 - 2003 - London - July 9 - 2005

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Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament: See also ►