Agenda item

Agenda item

Notice of Motion - Justice long-overdue: Time to recompense and recognise British Nuclear Test Veterans

Council notes that:

 

·            From 3 October 1952 until 26 November 1991, the United Kingdom conducted 45 atomic and nuclear weapons tests in Australia, in the Pacific and in the United States.

·            Approximately 22,000 British military personnel participated in these tests. 

·            Some of these participants were from the city of Manchester.

·            Many of these veterans subsequently suffered (and continue to suffer) repeated periods of severe ill-health, including multiple cancers, or had premature deaths, or became fathers to children with life-changing health conditions or disabilities.

·            There are now less than 2,000 surviving nuclear test veterans.

·            British veterans attribute their ill-fortune to exposure to the radiation resulting from such testing.

·            The Australian McClellan Commission in 1984 described the British Government as displaying an attitude of ‘ignorance, incompetence and cynicism’ towards the safety of military personnel in the tests conducted in South Australia.

 

Council commends:

 

·            The British Nuclear Test Veterans Association and Labrats International for the emotional and practical support that they provide to nuclear test veterans, family members, and descendants and for their sterling campaigning work which led finally to the issue of a Nuclear Test Medal.

·            The Mirror journalist Susie Boniface for steadfastly highlighting the injustice suffered by the nuclear test veterans’ community and for consistently championing their cause.

·            The Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer for meeting, as Leader of the Opposition and of the Labour Party, with nuclear test veterans and family members and for making a pledge ‘to do all we can" to win recognition for Britain's Cold War heroes within a year.’

·            The Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham for calling for a public inquiry into the injustice meted out to the British nuclear test veteran community.

 

Council further notes that:

 

·            The claim by the nuclear test veterans’ community and family members for financial compensation for their suffering, access to medical records and tests, access to specialist medical care, and a real recognition by government of their suffering remains outstanding.

·            Whilst other countries which engaged in atmospheric nuclear testing (China, France, Russia and the United States) have made financial provision for veterans and their families, the UK has not.

 

 

 

Council believes that with the election of a new Labour Government, with at its head a Prime Minister who has pledged to ‘do all we can’ to win recognition for Britain's Cold War heroes within a year’, that now is the time to do just that.

 

Council therefore resolves to:

 

(1)      Ask the Chief Executive to write to the Prime Minister and the Minister for Veterans Affairs asking them to provide for a scheme of financial compensation, access to medical records and test results, and access to specialist medical care for Britain’s nuclear test veterans, their family members and descendants.

(2)      Ask the Labour Government to convene a public inquiry into the injustice meted out to the British nuclear test veteran community

 

Proposed by Councillor Judge, seconded by Councillor Fletcher and supported by Councillors Appleby, Hughes, Karney, T Robinson and Taylor

Minutes:

Councillor Judge submitted the following motion, which was seconded by Councillor Fletcher:-

 

Council notes that:

 

·            From 3 October 1952 until 26 November 1991, the United Kingdom conducted 45 atomic and nuclear weapons tests in Australia, in the Pacific and in the United States.

·            Approximately 22,000 British military personnel participated in these tests. 

·            Some of these participants were from the city of Manchester.

·            Many of these veterans subsequently suffered (and continue to suffer) repeated periods of severe ill-health, including multiple cancers, or had premature deaths, or became fathers to children with life-changing health conditions or disabilities.

·            There are now less than 2,000 surviving nuclear test veterans.

·            British veterans attribute their ill-fortune to exposure to the radiation resulting from such testing.

·            The Australian McClellan Commission in 1984 described the British Government as displaying an attitude of ‘ignorance, incompetence and cynicism’ towards the safety of military personnel in the tests conducted in South Australia.

 

Council commends:

 

·            The British Nuclear Test Veterans Association and Labrats International for the emotional and practical support that they provide to nuclear test veterans, family members, and descendants and for their sterling campaigning work which led finally to the issue of a Nuclear Test Medal.

·            The Mirror journalist Susie Boniface for steadfastly highlighting the injustice suffered by the nuclear test veterans’ community and for consistently championing their cause.

·            The Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer for meeting, as Leader of the Opposition and of the Labour Party, with nuclear test veterans and family members and for making a pledge to do all we can" to win recognition for Britain's Cold War heroes within a year.’

·            The Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham for calling for a public inquiry into the injustice meted out to the British nuclear test veteran community.

 

Council further notes that:

 

·            The claim by the nuclear test veterans’ community and family members for financial compensation for their suffering, access to medical records and tests, access to specialist medical care, and a real recognition by government of their suffering remains outstanding.

·            Whilst other countries which engaged in atmospheric nuclear testing (China, France, Russia and the United States) have made financial provision for veterans and their families, the UK has not.

 

Council believes that wWith the election of a new Labour Government, with at its head a Prime Minister who has pledged to ‘do all we can’ to win recognition for Britain's Cold War heroes within a year’, that now is the time to do just that.

 

Council therefore resolves to:

 

·            Ask the Chief Executive to write to the Prime Minister and the Minister for Veterans Affairs asking them to provide for a scheme of financial compensation, access to medical records and test results, and access to specialist medical care for Britain’s nuclear test veterans, their family members and descendants.

·            Ask the Labour Government to convene a public inquiry into the injustice meted out to the British nuclear test veteran community.

 

On the motion being put to the vote, the Lord Mayor declared it unanimously carried.

 

Resolution

 

This Council:-

 

1.    Asks the Chief Executive to write to the Prime Minister and the Minister for Veterans Affairs asking them to provide for a scheme of financial compensation, access to medical records and test results, and access to specialist medical care for Britain’s nuclear test veterans, their family members and descendants.

 

2.    Asks the Labour Government to convene a public inquiry into the injustice meted out to the British nuclear test veteran community.