BYM criticises defence review
BYM has criticised the government's Strategic Defence Review
The UK government’s defence review ignores ‘vital non-military solutions for a safer UK and world’, Britain Yearly Meeting (BYM) warned last week.
In its submission in response to the Strategic Defence Review, BYM highlighted two major threats to global human security: growing armed conflict, militarisation and nuclear risk; and climate breakdown. Militaries are contributing to climate breakdown, said BYM, emphasising the need to invest in non-military responses to conflict, such as funding for conflict prevention and peacebuilding. BYM also urged the government to ‘show leadership by improving nuclear arms control and upholding international law’.
Paul Parker, recording clerk to BYM, said: ‘In the depths of world war two, Quakers recognised that the way of peace requires that people and nations should recognise their common humanity.
‘We must use the weapons of integrity, reason, patience and love, they urged, never acquiescing in the ways of the oppressor.’
The government’s refusal to discuss the UK’s nuclear weapons programme was extremely disappointing, Paul Parker added. ‘We stand by our statement of 1955, that to rely on the possession of nuclear weapons as a deterrent is faithless; to use them is a sin.’
BYM also criticised the removal of key issues from the review, including plans to raise military spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP, and discussion around the UK’s nuclear weapons programme. Without a wider security review, climate finance, peacebuilding and other issues could be overlooked, BYM added.
Launched in July by Keir Starmer, prime minister, this is the fourth defence review in nine years. Opinions are being sought from government, industry, academia and UK allies.
The Alternative Security Review is soon to be launched by Rethinking Security, of which BYM is a member.
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