Agenda item

Leeds City Council is a member of the UK & Ireland Nuclear Free Local Authorities (NFLA) and the Hiroshima-led Mayors for Peace; both of which have been working for 4 decades to promote multilateral nuclear disarmament.

NFLA and Mayors for Peace work with the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), which received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017 for its work in encouraging over two thirds of United Nations members to agree to the International Treaty to Prohibit Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).  Council regrets that the Governments of the existing nuclear weapon states, including the UK, refuse to support the Treaty.  Council fully supports the TPNW as one of the most effective ways to bring about long-term and verifiable multilateral nuclear disarmament and is pleased it will be entering into force on the 22nd January 2021.

Council calls on the United Kingdom Government to lead a global effort to prevent nuclear conflict by:

•  Renouncing the option of using nuclear weapons first

•  Cancelling the plan to replace its entire Trident nuclear arsenal with enhanced weapons

•  Actively pursuing a verifiable agreement among nuclear-armed states to eliminate their nuclear arsenals by supporting the Treaty to Prohibit Nuclear Weapons and the ‘Good Faith’ Protocols within the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Council therefore requests the Chief Executive writes to the Prime Minister to inform him of this resolution and urge him to take account of it.  Council also requests the Chief Executive to write to ICAN to endorse their Cities Appeal supporting the TPNW.

In accordance with the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 14.9 (a) leave of Council was given to Councillor David Blackburn to alter the motion in his name by the deletion of some wording and 3 bullet points that were in the original motion (details were set out on the order paper).

It was moved by Councillor D Blackburn, seconded by Councillor Lewis that Leeds City Council is a member of the UK & Ireland Nuclear Free Local Authorities (NFLA) and the Hiroshima-led Mayors for Peace; both of which have been working for 4 decades to promote multilateral nuclear disarmament.

NFLA and Mayors for Peace work with the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), which received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017 for its work in encouraging over two thirds of United Nations members to agree to the International Treaty to Prohibit Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).  Council regrets that the Governments of the existing nuclear weapon states, including the UK, refuse to support the Treaty.  Council fully supports the TPNW as one of the most effective ways to bring about long-term and verifiable multilateral nuclear disarmament and is pleased it will be entering into force on the 22nd January 2021.

Council therefore requests the Chief Executive writes to the Prime Minister to inform him of this resolution and urge him to take account of it.  Council also requests the Chief Executive to write to ICAN to endorse their Cities Appeal supporting the TPNW.

An amendment was moved by Councillor Robinson, seconded by Councillor Andrew Carter

Delete all and replace with the following:

“This Council notes that the UK is committed to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and to the long term goal of a world without nuclear weapons.

“Council supports the Government’s approach to achieving a world without nuclear weapons through gradual multilateral disarmament negotiated using a step-by-step approach, within existing international frameworks and supports the UK Government in seeking to improve international security and increase trust and transparency across the world.

“The most effective way for Leeds City Council to influence peaceful international relations is through our city’s relationships with other like-minded cities around the world committed to respecting free speech and human rights. Council calls on the ruling administration to consider how best it can reflect this city’s commitment to these principles in all its dealings and partnerships with other like-minded cities.”

A second amendment was moved by Councillor Golton, seconded by Councillor Howley

Delete second paragraph and replace with “Council also notes the active role our armed forces play in maintaining peace worldwide, and our recent award of the freedom of the city to the 4^th Battalion, The Parachute Regiment in recognition of this.”

Amend the following line to read, “Council recognises the need to invest in our national defence as a deterrent to threats beyond these shores, and calls on the United Kingdom government to prevent both nuclear and conventional conflict by:

Replace the original three bullet points with

·  “Committing to the principle of collective self-defence as laid out in the North Atlantic Treaty and spending two per cent of GDP on defence in line with NATO recommendations

·  Maintaining a minimum nuclear deterrent, while pursuing multilateral nuclear disarmament,

·  Promoting an international treaty on the principles and limits of the use of technology in modern warfare, and recognise the expansion of warfare into the cybersphere by investing in our security and intelligence services and acting to counter cyberattacks.“

Delete the last sentence of the final paragraph.

The Amended motion reads:

Leeds City Council is a member of the UK & Ireland Nuclear Free Local Authorities (NFLA) and the Hiroshima-led Mayors for Peace; both of which have been working for 4 decades to promote multilateral nuclear disarmament.

Council also notes the active role our armed forces play in maintaining peace worldwide, and our recent award of the freedom of the city to the 4^th Parachute Regiment in recognition of this.

Council recognises the need to invest in our national defence as a deterrent to threats beyond these shores, and calls on the United Kingdom government to prevent both nuclear and conventional conflict by:

·  Committing to the principle of collective self-defence as laid out in the North Atlantic Treaty and spending two per cent of GDP on defence in line with NATO recommendations

·  Maintaining a minimum nuclear deterrent, while pursuing multilateral nuclear disarmament,

·  Promoting an international treaty on the principles and limits of the use of technology in modern warfare, and recognise the expansion of warfare into the cybersphere by investing in our security and intelligence services and acting to counter cyberattacks.

Council therefore requests that the Chief Executive writes to the Prime Minister to inform him of this resolution and urge him to take account of it.

The amendments in the name of Councillor Robinson and Councillor Golton were declared lost and upon being put to the vote it was

RESOLVED – That Leeds City Council is a member of the UK & Ireland Nuclear Free Local Authorities (NFLA) and the Hiroshima-led Mayors for Peace; both of which have been working for 4 decades to promote multilateral nuclear disarmament.

NFLA and Mayors for Peace work with the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), which received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017 for its work in encouraging over two thirds of United Nations members to agree to the International Treaty to Prohibit Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).  Council regrets that the Governments of the existing nuclear weapon states, including the UK, refuse to support the Treaty.  Council fully supports the TPNW as one of the most effective ways to bring about long-term and verifiable multilateral nuclear disarmament and is pleased it will be entering into force on the 22nd January 2021.

Council therefore requests the Chief Executive writes to the Prime Minister to inform him of this resolution and urge him to take account of it.  Council also requests the Chief Executive to write to ICAN to endorse their Cities Appeal supporting the TPNW.