CND, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament

The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) is a non party-political British organisation advocating the abolition of nuclear weapons worldwide. It was formed in 1958 by the philosopher Bertrand Arthur William Russell, 3rd Earl Russell, and the Rev Canon (Lewis) John Collins and grew out of the demonstration held outside the government's Atomic Weapons Research Establishment at Aldermaston, Berkshire, at Easter 1956. Following a rapid growth of membership in its first years of existence, nuclear issues were overtaken by popular protest concerning the Vietnam War. CND survived, but as a much smaller movement. In 1960, the Committee of 100 was set up to organise Non-Violent Direct Action (NVDA) actions, such as mass sit-ins and blockades. The decision, taken in 1979, to deploy American Cruise and Pershing missiles in Great Britain and other European countries led to a growth in CND membership and activities, such as protest marches and the harassment of Cruise convoys. Since the end of the Cold War, the emphasis of CND activities has changed to include lobbying of MPs and at international conferences, the tracking and publicising of road and rail shipments of nuclear materials, and the work of talking to people and groups, though there are still regular protests and direct actions at nuclear installations around the country. CND is part of Abolition 2000, a global network, founded in 1995 and with organised support in 76 countries, to press for the elimination of nuclear weapons.