Nuclear Weapons

Nuclear weapons are the most destructive, indiscriminate, and inhumane instruments of mass murder ever created. Their use – and even their possession – goes against every principle of international humanitarian law.

The catastrophic health and environmental consequences of nuclear weapons sit at the extreme end of a continuum of armed violence that undermines collective health and human security.

The Nuclear Weapons Group represents the longest standing aspect of Medact’s work to address war, militarism, armed violence and conflict as global threats to health. The group works to campaign for nuclear abolition by highlighting the medical and humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons, and stating clearly that prevention of nuclear war is a medical and public health imperative.

Join us in our work towards nuclear abolition for health justice!

Don’t Bank on the Bomb UK

Nuclear disarmament for health

For the health of people and planet, the elimination of nuclear weapons and prevention of their use is an urgent priority. Our health systems could never adequately respond to the use of nuclear weapons. A single nuclear explosion would cause unimaginable short and long-term harm to health: catastrophic death and destruction, severe burns and blast injuries, acute radiation exposure, cancers, genetic damage, severe psychological trauma, and intergenerational harm.

Divestment: our money out of nuclear weapons

The UK has 225 nuclear weapons it can launch from submarines. Every year, the UK government spends billions of pounds on nuclear weapons every year, contracting private companies like Babcock International, Lockheed Martin, Rolls Royce and BAE Systems to maintain and expand its nuclear arsenal. In 2023 alone, Britain increased spending on nuclear weapons by 17%, up to £6.5 billion. Private companies make billions from nuclear contracts, but they’re also funded significantly through investments made by our banks and financial institutions.

As a movement for health justice, we continue campaigning for the total abolition of nuclear weapons. Divestment is one major way we can take action. Together, we’re calling on our banks and financial institutions to divest our money from the private companies lining their pockets by producing the most destructive weapons imaginable. Join us!

How to get involved

Email our Project Coordinator, Zahraa to be added to the Don’t Bank on the Bomb UK mailing list – [email protected]! This is mailing list for anyone interested in getting more involved with the campaign. You’ll receive updates about network meetings, campaign and resource development, and how to get more involved!
Join the first DBOTB UK network meeting! Our very first DBOTB UK Network meeting will take place on Tuesday 26th November, 6.30-8pm. Come along to meet other campaigners, and discuss ways to kick off our collective campaigning work. You can register for the meeting here!
Download and share our new campaign leaflet! The A5 flyer provides a quick introduction to: the health impacts of nuclear weapons, UK spending & the private companies profiting from nuclear weapons manufacturing, and how we can use divestment in the our work towards nuclear disarmament!

And to keep up to date on broader work from the Medact Nuclear Weapons group, make sure you’re signed up to the NWG mailing list here!

September 17, 2024

Don’t Bank on the Bomb (DBOTB) UK – Flyer

Join us!

In the movement to abolish nuclear weapons, there is space for everyone!

Whether you study or work in health, or are simply passionate about ending nuclear disarmament for health justice – the Nuclear Weapons Group is for you! Sign up using the form below to hear about how to get involved. If you have any questions about getting involved, please email [email protected].

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Our work

Research and education

We aim to raise awareness in the health community of the health and humanitarian impacts of nuclear weapons and the subsequent imperative to scrap Trident, ban nuclear weapons in the UK, and support the global movement to abolish nuclear weapons. The Nuclear Weapons Group have produced various blogs on nuclear weapons issues, articles published in Medact’s designated journal – Medicine, Conflict and Survival – and full length reports, briefings and webinars for education on nuclear weapons issues.

Watch back a recording of our webinar: Nuclear Militarisation: How it threatens humanity.

UK & International Nuclear Disarmament Movement Work

The Nuclear Weapons Group is proudly part of an international movement to end the threat of nuclear weapons. Medact is the UK affiliate of International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW), and a coordinating partner of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) – set up in 2007 by IPPNW. In the UK, we collaborate with a range of peace organisations and work to influence the government to support the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) through campaigns like the ICAN Cities Appeal and lobbying in civil society meetings. We also aim to resource Medact members to influence their MPs on nuclear weapons issues.

Take action with us by sending this letter on nuclear disarmament to your MP!

Don’t Bank on the Bomb UK – Nuclear disarmament through divestment

Don’t Bank on The Bomb (DBOTB) is the Nuclear Weapon’s Group’s priority campaign. Building on long standing work from organisations like ICAN and PAX, and campaigning work from DBOTB Scotland – the group seeks to grow a national network of campaigners, and create practical resources to support members to campaign and influence UK banks, pension funds and other financial institutions to divest from nuclear weapons manufacturers.