Securing Justice Globally

We must secure a peaceful and just world future through common security, not mutual threat. We must end exploitation between nations and agree a fair distribution of resources.

As a colonial power, Britain sowed the seeds of many of today's conflicts. We must use our wealth and influence to help resolve them. We must also reform the institutions that make them worse. We should lead by example, not force, to a fairer global future, free of debt, poverty and weapons of mass destruction.

Defending the peace

Britain's defence policy undermines global security. By decommissioning our weapons of mass destruction, ending the arms trade and adopting a genuinely defensive policy we would boost global security, and free in excess of £10bn annually. This could be used to kick-start job-rich ecological industries to replace the defence industry.

Beating the arms race

Britain should immediately decommission her nuclear weapons and rule out future use of chemical, biological or environmental weapons, including depleted uranium shells. We should use our ex-nuclear status to promote nuclear disarmament. Britain should oppose the US National Missile Defence System, which threatens a new arms race.

Reducing conflict

We should offer aid, diplomacy and appropriate technology to address the environmental problems and internal conflicts that increasingly threaten global security. In exceptional circumstances, if internationally agreed criteria are met, military intervention should be undertaken by a UN peace-keeping force, to which Britain should contribute.

Building alliances

The UN Security Council should be reformed to reflect global interests. There should be no vetoes or permanent members. NATO is a destabilising relic of the cold war and should be disbanded. Meanwhile Britain should withdraw and become neutral. US bases should be closed or used to train UN peace-keeping forces.

European security should be addressed by the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, which works by consensus and constructive intervention. The EU should not adopt a military role, such as the Common Foreign and Security Policy or the Rapid Reaction Force.

Defensive defence

Britain's forces should be defensive, using coastal and anti-aircraft defences, interceptor aircraft, land forces sufficient to meet any risk of invasion, and short range coastal defence vessels. An ability to mount offensive counter attacks would be retained.

Ending the arms trade

Subsidies of arms exports (around £500 million a year) should be stopped. The Defence Export Services Organisation should be closed and export credits for military goods ended. Exports of military equipment should not be licensed if they might abuse human rights, increase conflict or undermine sustainable development. The end use of any exported military equipment must be monitored and the defence industry helped to convert to useful production.

Developing self-reliance

For too long, British foreign policy has promoted narrow self-interest. Instead we should build global security by helping people around the world achieve self-determination within sustainable societies.

We must play our part in building a better world based on peaceful coexistence and mutual respect. There are many barriers to overcome - debt, poverty, and conflict - but Britain should take a strong lead and encourage other nations to join us.

Drop the debt

Britain must write off the bilateral debts of the 40 poorest nations and encourage banks and other countries to do likewise. Debtor states should restrict debt servicing to 10% of their annual export earnings and spread payments over longer periods at fixed interest rates. UN-classified 'middle income' states should make payments in their own currency.

Creative reimbursement schemes should be established to fund conserva-tion and development projects from debt repayments.

Aiding self-reliance

The Aid budget should be increased to 0.7% of GDP within 5 years and 1.0% within a decade. It should be used to eradicate poverty and establish greater self-reliance. Projects should be planned and led by the local community and should promote basic health care, education, family planning and self-sufficiency in food and energy. Tied aid and damaging large-scale projects, such as dams and nuclear power stations, should be stopped.

Financing development

The IMF and World Bank should priori-tise conflict prevention, the eradication of poverty and disease, environmental sustainability and the transfer of

appropriate technologies to the least developed countries. They should run on the principle of one-member-one-vote and be accountable to people in developing countries.

Containing conflict

Support should be increased for landmine victims and de-mining. The government must abide by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and its Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict, and encourage others to do likewise. The daily bombing of Iraq should be halted immediately and the sanctions lifted.

Asylum and migration

Britain benefits greatly from the diversity that immigration brings and we strongly support the right to asylum for those who fear persecution. Many who migrate are forced to do so by deteriorating economic, political or environmental conditions. Our policies aim to tackle these problems and ensure that the UK's immigration system operates without racism, fairly and efficiently.

Asylum

The UK must meet its international obligations under the 1951 Refugee Convention. The voucher scheme for asylum seekers should be abolished and replaced with cash payments. Asylum seekers should not be detained. Asylum applications must be speeded up and the dispersal system abandoned. Councils should receive greater government assistance to help settle refugees and asylum seekers.

Immigration

Immigration controls should be progressively reduced as common security increases. Because EU member states have different obliga-tions to their former colonies, a common EU asylum and migration policy is inappropriate. The Schengen agreement must not be used to construct a racist 'fortress Europe'.

>> Next page >>

Home
Reach for the future
A just economics
The just society
Ecological justice
Securing justice globally
Democratic justice
Conclusion

Home | Reach for the future | A just economics | The just society
Ecological justice | Securing justice globally | Democratic justice | Conclusion