Russell Whiting

Campaigners express dismay at Sunak’s pledge for more military spending 

Campaigners from the Global Campaign on Military Spending UK (GCOMS-UK) have expressed their dismay at Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s announcement today (Tuesday 23 April) that UK military spending would reach 2.5% of GDP by 2030.  Figures released yesterday by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) showed that the UK is already the highest spending …

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GDAMS 2024 statement

At the start of the Global Days of Action on Military Spending, the below statement has been released by international organisers. You can also download it as a PDF here. Disarmament now to save people and planet Humanity is at a crossroads where political decisions on defence budgets will determine the trajectory of the multiple …

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GCOMS UK response to Sir Keir Starmer

On Friday 12 April Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer visited Barrow-in-Furness to give his support to the new generation of nuclear submarines being developed in the town. He also pledged to match the current Conservative spending commitments on the military, which would see an increase to 2.5% of GDP – well about the NATO target …

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Spring budget 24: Military spending continues to grow at the expense of climate funds and overseas aid

Dr Stuart Parkinson is Co-chair of the UK branch of the Global Campaign on Military Spending (GCOMS-UK) and Executive Director of Scientists for Global Responsibility (SGR). Summary In the Chancellor’s Spring Budget, the UK’s core military spending rose to £54.2bn this financial year (2023-24), following the large multi-year budget increases announced in 2020 and 2023. This means …

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GCOMS UK AGM 2024

The AGM for the Global Campaign on Military Spending in the UK will take place on Tuesday 30 January 2024 and focus on military emissions and the climate crisis. The meeting will be joined by Deborah Burton, Co-Founder of Tipping Point North South, who was at the COP 28 meetings in the UAE in December …

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Introducing the new GCOMS UK Co-ordinator

Introducing Russell Whiting, the new GCOMS UK Co-ordinator. I’m delighted to be taking up this role at what is such a crucial time for our campaign to divert money away from military spending into socially productive areas. The climate crisis is raging around the world, and as leaders prepare to gather for the latest COP summit there is …

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Recruiting: GCOMS UK Co-ordinator

lithograph image of worker holding aloft a broken missile. Captioned 'Jobs not Bombs'

GCOMS UK is seeking a paid Coordinator (freelance) to bring together its various activities. Hours: 13 hours/week Remuneration: £25/hr Duration: 3 years (already part-funded as of April 2023). Location: Working remotely GCOMS is an international campaigning organisation that works to challenge the priority given by governments to military spending rather than environmental and social programmes. …

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aljazeera: Are militaries driving the climate crisis?

Dr Stuart Parkinson, GCOMS UK Co-Chair, appeared on an Aljazeera panel last night discussing military carbon emssions, alongside Lindsay Koshgarian, Program Director of The National Priorities Project and Marcy Winograd, Coordinator of Code Pink Congress. Write up for the show “For years, climate activists have centered their work around stopping some of the world’s biggest …

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