Report by Mr. Richard Outram, UK and Ireland Mayors for Peace Chapter Secretary
On the eve of the anniversary of the first British atomic bomb test, conducted on 3 October 1952, Manchester City Council unanimously passed a motion calling for justice and compensation for the UK’s nuclear test veterans’ community. Manchester is a Vice-Presidential city in Mayors for Peace.
Between October 1952 and November 1991, Britain conducted 45 atomic and nuclear bomb tests, which involved 22,000 military veterans. Many have since suffered chronic ill health or died early. Many of their children have also been afflicted with profound disabilities. They are Britain’s Hibakusha.
The motion was proposed by Councillor Tommy Judge, who serves as the Council’s Permanent Representative to Mayors for Peace.
For over 70 years, the veterans have been seeking recognition and compensation for their suffering and that of their families.
In the debate, Cllr Judge spoke of the “shameful” injustice still shown to the nuclear test veterans community, with the vast majority of those involved in the test being “conscripted young men put in danger who are still struggling to get compensation for that danger”. In opposition, Sir Keir Starmer pledged to take action within twelve months of taking office and Cllr Judge added that “now is the time (for the Prime Minister) to do just that.”
Photo: courtesy of the City of Manchester