By Megan Berkley and Cassandra Allwood
Bill Kidd MSP
An MSP has called for demonstrations held in Edinburgh tomorrow to remain peaceful.
Protests have been organised in the capital to oppose NATO. The organisation’s annual assembly begins today at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.
Mr Kidd is due to speak at a rally tomorrow against nuclear proliferation which he believes NATO should not be involved with.
He told Edinburgh Napier News: ” Demonstrations have to be constructive.
“People may think NATO is something to be opposed because it’s a violent organisation or that it encourages war. The best way to oppose it is to be non-violent. Non-violent civil disobedience is the best way to oppose any form of military organisation.”
The UK’s nuclear weapons system, Trident, is based in Faslane and is due to reach the end of its service life in 2024. Opinion is divided over whether it should be replaced.
While the UK government has argued for a replacement, others say it is too expensive. Official figures put the annual cost of maintenance at almost £2 billion with a replacement costing £75 billion.
Mr Kidd said: “They cost an absolute fortune and we’ve got better things to do with our money.”
