THE best way for Scotland to remove the “terrible threat” posed by the nuclear weapons on the Clyde is to vote for independence, the head of a Nobel Prize-winning campaign has said.
Speaking to The National at the UN building in New York, the chief executive of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), Melissa Parke, said it was her personal view that Scottish people wanted to see the Trident system removed from their country.
“I think that, given that just about every Scottish person I’ve ever met is totally opposed to having nuclear weapons in Scotland, I think the best way that Scottish people can rid themselves of nuclear weapons is to vote for independence,” she said.
The comments came after The National filmed an exclusive interview with Parke at a UN summit on the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) – which is supported by the Scottish Government and had been backed by Scottish Secretary Ian Murray until a sharp U-turn earlier this week.
During the sit-down, Parke warned that Scotland had a “giant target” on its back due to hosting the UK’s Trident missiles.
“I think the Scottish people have it right here that nuclear weapons are a risk and a terrible threat to Scotland,” she said.
“I visited Faslane and Coulport, and I know that there's various radiation leaks and all kinds of things going on there that's putting the population at risk every day – even without the nuclear weapons being used.
“I think it's important that Scottish people continue to speak to their elected representatives, and that Scottish leaders continue to speak in the UK about the need to eliminate nuclear weapons, because they make Scotland a giant target.”
The UK Government does not support the TPNW – for which ICAN was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017 – but insists it is upholding its obligations under the older Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Article 6 of the NPT requires states to engage in “good faith” with “effective measures” to work towards a world free of nuclear weapons. Various experts have told The National that they believe the UK is failing to live up to this obligation by refusing to engage with the TPNW.
However, the Labour Government has crafted a loophole for itself by claiming that it does not believe the abolition of nuclear weapons is “achievable” through the TPNW – meaning they can argue it does not fall under the scope of Article 6.
Asked about this position from the UK Government, Parke expressed surprise.
“It's not achievable at the moment because they're refusing to engage,” she said.
“If they engage in it, it would be much more achievable.
“So, I mean, it's the very point behind the treaty, that these countries have been refusing to do what they should have been doing – and which they say is their ultimate goal – the total elimination of nuclear weapons.
“They act inconsistently with that overall goal every day, by clinging on to their nuclear weapons and insisting they're essential for their security, but no one else can have them either.”
As it stands, the TPNW has been signed by half of all the countries which are able to accede to UN treaties – though it is supported by a clear majority.
Parke said that wheels were in motion and they expected new signatories to the TPNW before the end of 2025, which would put the nations banning nuclear weapons in the indisputed global majority.
“We have 98 countries that have signed, ratified, or acceded to the treaty,” Parke said. That means exactly half the countries in the world have taken some treaty action. We only need one more to be in the global majority, but we already know that the majority of the world supports this treaty.
“We know that from General Assembly resolutions every year [where] up to 140 nations regularly express their support for this treaty, so it's just a matter of getting them signed up.”
