CND called to action on GDAMS through a piece by Kate Hudson (CND General Secretary): “A global struggle: healthcare not warfare”.
Hudson echoes here the words of Dave Webb, CND Chair and member of the GCOMS steering group: ““This year the Global Days of Action on Military Spending (GDAMS) are taking place from April 10th until May 9th. During this time peace and justice campaigners around the world will be highlighting the ridiculous and unsustainable levels of global military spending – over $1.82 trillion a year, equivalent to $239 per person every day. The UK 2020 defence budget is £55 billion, the 7th highest in the world and over 2% of our GDP – as requested by NATO. This represents a substantial increase over previous years. We had been warned of the possibility of a wide-spread pandemic for sometime – it was one of the first tier threats in the 2015 National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review – but were totally unprepared for it when it happened. Meanwhile, the government is prepared to continue with Trident Replacement at an eventual total cost of over £205 billion and with the purchase of 138 F-35 jet fighters, costing £85 million each. (…)
Military spending is costing the Earth and reallocating defence budgets would help finance an adequate response to both the coronavirus crisis and the challenge of climate change. It would assist the urgent transition toward more peaceful, just, and sustainable societies and economies.”
Read the full article here.