This branch notes:
1) It is estimated that there will be a £5.7bn (12.4%) increase in the military budget this year, according to the Global Campaign on Military Spending UK. This will make Britain the biggest military spender of all major European economies at a time when we are told we need to accept cuts in welfare, wages and essential services.
2) Our military budget has largely been spent on catastrophic foreign wars in the last few decades including in Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Libya and Yemen. British support for NATO escalation in Ukraine is prolonging the war and threatening confrontation between nuclear armed powers.
3) The Stop the War Coalition has called a trade union conference ‘The World at War: A Trade Union Issue’ to discuss these issues on Saturday 21st January in London.
This branch believes:
1) War and peace are trade union issues.
2) Britain’s foreign wars have not benefited ordinary people here and they have been disastrous for people in the countries we have attacked.
3) Investment in arms creates fewer jobs than in all other parts of the economy. While we understand unions will want to protect existing jobs wherever they are, we need an investment programme to create jobs, including skilled manufacturing work, in other sectors.
4) Particularly at a time of desperate need for millions the government should be prioritising public health and welfare over warfare.
This branch resolves:
1) To support the call for the conference.
2) To send a delegation to the conference.
3) To publicise it to all members.
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