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Background to the
Debate Background Reading | Timeline | Links | Quotations from the UK . Defence Secretary opens missile defence debate: Official UK position Basic Note, 12 December 2002 NMD:
An Overview of the Political Debate in the United Kingdom, Keeping Tabs on Big Brother: UK debates US plans for Ballistic Missile Defenses, by Mark Bromley and Tom McDonald, BASIC Paper #34, 3 October 2000 October 24 2001 - During Prime Ministers Questions Tony Blair states: “I do not agree with those who are opposed to it [NMD]. During the summit with President Bush in February, we made it clear that we were prepared to look at defensive as well as offensive systems.” September
30 - October 3 2001 - Labour Party Conference September 30 2001 - The Observer reports that Blair is to give the green light to NMD. It describes how he has told colleagues it is "inevitable". ("Blair backs Star Wars", The Observer, September 30, 2001) August 1 2001 - Foreign Secretary Jack Straw sends out a briefing paper to UK Labour parliamentarians which strongly suggests the government is sympathetic towards US development of missile defenses. It concludes: “Missile Defence is not an alternative to our wider non-proliferation effort, but part of it. Proliferators are not irrational. All our non-proliferation instruments – the multilateral Treaties, national and international export controls, interception/disruption operations etc are ultimately aimed at affecting the cost/benefit calculation that all proliferators must make, however crudely. Effective Missile Defence can do the same, by reducing the likely benefit of developing WMD-armed missiles (or by raising the cost, through the need to build more, or more sophisticated, systems). It therefore complements, not replaces, the other tools in the non-proliferation toolbox." Full
Text of Straw Briefing including BASIC analysis 18 July 2001 – A MORI opinion poll, commissioned by a coalition of British NGOs, finds that 70 percent of those polled believe that US NMD plans could start a new arms race. In addition, 72 percent fear that the use of British bases in the system could make Britain a target in the event of an attack on the United States 70% of Britain Fears US-Driven Arms Race BASIC Press Release 3
July 2001 –
Greenpeace
activists occupy RAF Menwith Hill to protest at NMD. More than 100
demonstrators entered the base and occupied three areas within the high
security site. They are peacefully removed later. Stephen Tindall, UK
Executive Director of Greenpeace, describes NMD as a "disaster" and
declares "Bush can't install the system without Tony Blair's approval. We
urge Mr Blair not to kowtow to Bush on such a crucial 20 June 2001 – Malcolm Savidge, Labour MP for Aberdeen North establishes an Early Day Motion urging the UK government to be more forceful in questioning US missile defense plans. It has so far been signed by 280 MPs. Text of EDM: "That this House expresses concern at President Bush's intention 'to move beyond the constraints' of the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in developing Missile Defence; and endorses the unanimous conclusions of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, which recommended that the Government voice the grave doubts about NMD in the UK, questioned whether US plans to deploy NMD represent an appropriate response to the proliferation problems faced by the international community; and recommended that the Government encourage the USA to explore all ways of reducing the threat it perceives." Current Status of EDM and List of Signatories 14 June 2001 – 18 Union General Secretaries write to The Guardian to protest at National Missile Defense. They warn that it will do "immense damage to international treaties covering weapons of mass destruction" and conclude that it would be "wholly inappropriate for our government to support this initiative and strongly urge it not to do so." ("Labour conference may face demand to oppose US defence plan", The Guardian, June 14, 2001) 7 June 2001 – Labour maintains power following a landslide victory in the U.K. Parliamentary General Election. The manifestos of the three main political parties had set out differing visions concerning NMD. The Liberal Democrats continued their opposition, describing the Bush plans as "a threat to international stability and arms control agreements." In contrast the Conservatives moved strongly to support NMD: “We will...end this Government’s equivocation over the development by the US of ballistic missile defences. We believe our close ally deserves our support in countering new threats from rogue states and terrorists equipped with weapons of mass destruction. We will take a lead in building support for ballistic missile defence against threats to Europe and America.” Labour, meanwhile, adopted the middle ground declaring that it would “encourage the US to consult closely with NATO allies on its ideas for missile defence” Arms Control extracts from Manifestos of the Major Parties compiled by the Acronym Institute: Labour | Conservatives | Liberal Democrats 30 May 2001 – In the run-up to the general election BASIC joins forces with other concerned organizations to hold a public forum on UK involvement in NMD plans. Speakers include Professor Paul Rodgers of the Department of Peace Studies, University of Bradford and Nick Cohen of The Observer. 8 May 2001 – US Officials visit London for talks with the UK government on missile defense. No press conference was given but subsequent reports indicated that UK officials focused on means of strengthening non-proliferation agreements. The question of upgrading Fylingdales and Menwith Hill reportedly didn't come up. ("US Told to Balance Missile Plan With Diplomacy", Financial Times, 10 May 2001) A UK Foreign Office Spokesman said: "We would be happy as long as it is in an agreed framework between the United States and Russia". ("Factbox-What They Said on US Missile Defense Plans", Reuters, 11 May 2001) 23-24 February 2001 – UK Prime Minister Tony Blair visits the US for talks with President Bush. NMD, and the possible use of UK facilities in a proposed US system, are believed to be high on the agenda. Blair Must Represent Not Just Britain, But Europe on NMD BASIC Press Advisory, 20 February 2001 US Version UK Version Joint Statement by President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair 13 January 2001 – William Hague, leader of the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom, challenges Prime Minister Tony Blair to provide a firm commitment of support for U.S. plans for NMD. Hague states, "I think the United States should be supported in pushing forward this project and in pursuing the necessary research." Hague stresses he is in favor of seeing any potential shield extended to protect Europe. (13 January 2001, The Times, "Blair Plays Long Game to Avoid Star Wars Split") The
Conservative
Missile Defense Plan: At What Cost
22 September 2000 – At their yearly conference, the Liberal Democrats, the third largest U.K. political party, approves an emergency motion calling on the United States to abandon its plans for a NMD system. It also calls on the U.K. government to reject any formal demand from the United States for the use of U.K. sites in the proposed system. Menzies Campbell MP, Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs spokesman, said on 18 September 2000, “Liberal Democrats in government would be unequivocally firm in opposition to proposals for a National Missile Defense system." 9 September 2000 – In a letter published in the Financial Times, 11 of the largest U.K. trade unions outline their opposition to any possible undermining of the ABM treaty by the United States. The letter states: "Such a move, we feel, can only undermine confidence in the durability of international treaties drawn up to resolve conflict, and has no military or political advantages which could balance such damage." 2 August 2000 – The influential Foreign Affairs Select Committee of the House of Commons releases its report on "Weapons of Mass Destruction." The wide-ranging report strongly criticizes the wisdom of the proposed NMD network. The Committee states; "We recommend that the government articulate the very strong concerns that have been expressed about NMD within the [United Kingdom.] We are not convinced that the U.S. plans to deploy NMD represent an appropriate response to the proliferation problems faced by the international community. We recommend that the government encourage the [United States] to seek other ways of reducing the threats it perceives." Weapons
of Mass Destruction Official House of Commons Foreign
Affairs Committee Report, 25 July 2000 26–27 June 2000 – Questions to the UK Government Related to NMD from Ann Clwyd, MP 21 March 2000 – Foreign and Commonwealth Minister Peter Hain tells BBC's Newsnight program that he does "not like the idea of a Star Wars program, limited or unlimited." On the same evening, U.K. Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon told Channel 4 News that if the United States were to ask Britain to use Fylingdales, "the history of our close friendship ... is that we are sympathetic such requests." (22 March 2000, The Guardian, "Ministers Split Over British Role in US Defence Shield") 20 March 1997 – Permission is granted by the U.K. government for the deployment by the United States of the new European Ground Relay Station for its the new Space-Based Infra-Red System (SBIRS-High) at RAF Menwith Hill. Within the proposed NMD system, SBIRS-High is designed to pick up the fact that a booster has been launched and provide some initial trajectory information. Campaign for the Accountability of American Bases (CAAB) continues to monitor new developments at Fylingdales and Menwith Hill along whilst lobbying and campaigning against UK involvement in NMD. The
Acronym Institute Campaign
for the Accountability of American Bases (CAAB) Campaign
for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) Federation
of American Scientists (FAS) International
Security Information Service (ISIS) Stop
Star Wars Yorkshire
CND
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