This week MPs from across the Parliament came together to deliver a strong message to the world’s five nuclear powers.
A letter signed by 60 MPs was delivered to diplomats from the United Kingdom, Russia, the United States, China and France calling on them to begin the process of nuclear disarmament now.
The five, who happen to also be the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty in 1970.
The next five yearly review of the treaty begins in New York early next month.
But few have any expectation this conference will lead to any significant reduction in the nuclear arsenals held by the five countries or by the other members of the nuclear club: Israel, India, Pakistan and North Korea.
Israel, India and Pakistan are not members of the NPT while North Korea has shown little inclination to engage in any sort of reduction of its nuclear capability.
