Friends criticise government priorities
Over £100,000 is spent, within the UK, every minute, every day, on arms and the military
Quakers heard from a Friend with experience of being in Palestine at a Northern Friends Peace Board (NFPB) event this month.
More than thirty Friends attended the gathering at Nottingham Meeting House and online on 1 March. The principal speaker was Russell Whiting, UK coordinator of Global Campaign on Military Spending (GCOMS).
Peter Speirs, from Wirral and Chester Area Meeting, told the Friend that the attenders were shocked to hear about the global level of military spending. ‘Some [USD] $2.44 trillion was spent last year – a number that is hard to visualise in any way, never mind trying to justify it. Within the UK, the total was almost £57 billion – that’s just over £100,000 every minute of every day – and that will increase to almost £60 billion this year, or almost £1,000 for every man, woman and child. Can we not think of better uses for the nation’s money?’
The Friends were also ‘deeply disappointed at the priorities shown by this Labour government’, said Peter, such as reducing overseas aid. ‘We know that overseas aid, properly directed, supports provision of clean water, adequate food and secure shelter, as well as education and health care, and measures to combat the climate crisis. If people are denied these, they will migrate to meet their basic needs, raising the chances of conflict. Overseas aid is a form of peacebuilding.
‘We need to confront fear, and not to give in to those in power (and those seeking it) who amplify risks in order to hold their power (or to gain it). We need to speak out when we can, and to hold fast to truth and to hope.’
As well as a personal testimony from Palestine, another Friend spoke about concerns that ‘preoccupation with world events’ was affecting their worship. ‘Our coordinator [Philip Austin] reflected on the hope arising when the Berlin Wall came down, and the impact of recent events on changing international relationships. Friends shared their concerns to work for human security, here and elsewhere, as a priority over national interests,’ said Peter.
The NFPB’s next meeting will be in Edinburgh on 28 June.
