Thousands join anti-nuclear weapons march in London

SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon and Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood joined protesters on a march and a rally in Trafalgar Square, central London.

Britain’s Ministry of Defense says getting the new submarines will cost 31 billion pounds ($43 billion) over a 20-year procurement program, together with another 10 billion pounds for unexpected cost increases.

Ms Wood said in a statement that nuclear weapons should belong to the “dustbin of history”.

Kate Hudson, CND general secretary, said: ‘It’s clear the mainstream party consensus on Trident and nuclear weapons is breaking down before our very eyes.

“The use of Trident nuclear weapons would bring about human devastation and suffering on an unimaginable scale”.

Actress Vanessa Redgrave, Enter Shakiri’s Rou Reynolds and comedienne Francesca Martinez will also address the rally.

The Stop Trident demo protesters are a mixed bag from various political, religious and union groups.

“Everyone who is about to make a decision on what we do about our nuclear weapons, should think about the humanitarian effects on wholly innocent people anywhere across this globe if they are ever used”, the Labour leader said, adding that peace in the modern world can not be achieved “by planning for war and grabbing each other’s resources, and not respecting each other’s human rights”.

She said: “Like everybody here, I have been campaigning for nuclear disarmament for a long time”. She also pointed out that “this issue is bigger than any one political party”. Where peace is possible in so many places.

The demonstration, organized by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), is expected to be the biggest “in a generation”, with people coming in from all over the country to partake.

The GMB union had warned that the scrapping of Trident would cost jobs, with one local official saying it would have a “devastating impact”.

Defence minister Philip Dunne said: “Thirty years ago, the leader of the opposition backed unilateral disarmament as we faced aggression from nuclear armed powers who did not share our values of democracy, freedom and the rule of law”.

Protesters gathered at Marble Arch, then marched to Trafalgar Square to hear speaker after speaker criticise the government’s plan to renew Britain’s nuclear submarine programme.