Labour Branch Example Motion

Nuclear weapons and international law

This branch:

• Notes that from the 22^nd of January 2021 nuclear weapons will be illegal under international law. The change comes with the entry into force of the UN Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) which was passed at the UN in July 2017, with the support of the vast majority of member states.

• Notes with alarm the recent collapse of a number of international treaties, such as the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), which limit nuclear deployments and the danger of a renewed nuclear arms race.

• Holds that nuclear weapons represent an existential threat, whether by deliberate or accidental use, and should be subject to a global ban in line with all other weapons of mass destruction.

Calls on:

• Our local Councillors to submit a motion – in line with those passed by councils in Manchester, Edinburgh, Brighton and Norwich – that our council formally support the treaty and calls on the UK Government to both sign and ratify it.

• The Party to make the signing of the TPNW a formal policy for a Labour government – in line with our 2017 manifesto commitment that, “Labour will lead multilateral efforts with international partners and the UN to create a nuclear-free world.”

• Labour MPs who have yet to sign the ICAN Parliamentary Pledge in support the TPNW to do so, joining colleagues in the UK and across the world.

• All party members to support the ground-breaking work of our Shadow Minister for Peace and Disarmament, Fabian Hamilton, in developing the ‘Peace Doctrine’ and a positive role for Britain in world affairs.