Early day motion · EDM 493 · 18 Oct 2021

US-UK-Australia military pact

Tabled by Richard Burgon (Labour) 26 signatures

The motion

That this House notes with concern the Prime Minister’s announcement on 14 September 2021 of the AUKUS military pact; further notes that this is likely to escalate tension in the Far East and that military manoeuvres and sanctions in the Indo-Pacific region have already led to concerns about the threat of a new cold war with China; notes that this pact will enable Australia to develop, in collaboration with the UK and the US, a new capability of nuclear-powered submarines which will include the supply of weapons grade enriched uranium; notes that this is a dangerous move which contradicts the Prime Minister’s statement that this will promote stability in the Indo-Pacific region; notes that supplying weapons grade uranium to a non-nuclear weapons state to power military submarines is in breach of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty which stipulates that exchange of nuclear technology must be for peaceful purposes; regrets that this is a breach of international law by this government; further regrets that this agreement is likely to increase rather than diminish the threat of war and nuclear proliferation in the region; and urges the Prime Minister to reconsider this agreement, to take appropriate steps to bring UK actions in line with the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and to promote stability in the Indo-Pacific region through diplomatic rather than military means.

Source: the official Early Day Motions database.