London: Global Day of Action Against Military Spending

Pax Christi, CAAT, MAW members protest outside Parliament

A clear message to cut military spending in favour of human needs was given outside Parliament this morning (Monday) as members of Pax Christi, Campaign Against the Arms Trade (CAAT) and Movement for Abolition of War (MAW) took part in street-theatre and protest to mark the Global Day of Action on Military Spending.

This morning the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute released its Annual Report on military spending. Globally the world spent $1.75 trillion in 2012 - a decrease of 0.5%. Worryingly however, spending in North Africa and the Middle East has increased and Britain still holds its place as the fourth largest military spender.

A game show in which contestants were offered choices between spending on university fees, projects to tackel climate change and investment in health care against military spending illustrated the huge disparity between social need and military spending.

Hundreds of similar actions have taken place around the world today, in addition to those in London, Coventry, Wrexham, Liverpool, Sheffield, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Tonight there will be a meeting in Parliament in which these issues will be further discussed with members of Parliament and campaigners.