Rethinking Security
Rethinking Security Bath & NE Somerset
As part of Rethinking Security's network, we campaign, act, and educate. Since 2016, we've talked to hundreds of policy-makers, activists, local residents and visitors to Bath & NE Somerset about the true meaning of 'Security'.
We have worked on a 'New Vision' response to the government's Integrated Security, Defence and Foreign Policy Review, speaking out for democracy and human and planetary security central to our Vision for the UK. You can see our comments on the need for a UK Security review here, and a formal submission to government here. Scroll down for news of our public meetings and workshops - we've been lucky enough to have some world-class speakers and we share their presentations below.
The national Rethinking Security website reports on progress with the Alternative Security Review as well as providing inspiring and practical resources for campaigners for a just and peaceful world.
If you would like to join us, see our contact page for info.
Next Meeting: Film and discussion 19 April - Book now
We are teaming up with the New Oriel Hall Social Affairs Discussion group to show the documentary
Theaters of War: How the Pentagon and CIA Took Hollywood
looking at the relationship between the Pentagon, the CIA and American films and TV will be introduced by
Dr. Matthew Alford, a co-producer of the film. If you’ve seen Top Gun or Transformers, you may have wondered whether all that military machinery on screen comes with strings attached. Propelled into a road trip across America, Roger Stahl engages an array of other researchers, bewildered veterans, PR insiders, and industry producers. In unsettling and riveting detail, he discovers how the military and CIA have pushed official narratives while systematically scrubbing scripts of war crimes, corruption, racism, sexual assault, coups, assassinations, and torture. Film running time: 57 minutes, followed by Q&A and discussion.
The New Oriel Hall is in Brookleaze Buildings, Bath BA1 6RA. Book now on Eventbrite - it's free of charge, but you do need to book as space is limited.
THE CARBON BOOTPRINT
Our latest campaign focuses on the devastating environmental impact of the military.
Did you know that:
- the military contributes to climate change. CEOBS, the Conflict & Environment Observatory, calculates that worldwide, militaries create more than 5% of greenhouse gas emissions, and in a recent UK report, MPs said the MoD was not doing enough to reduce its emissions, which make up more than half of the government’s total emissions.
- wars cause environmental damage. CEOBS lists dozens of risks, among them destruction of homes, crops, habitats and water supplies, deforestation, water contamination, plastic and heavy metal pollution and dumping of waste.
- climate change causes wars. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says “Climate change can indirectly increase risks of violent conflicts by amplifying well-documented drivers of these conflicts such as poverty and economic shocks”.
A new vision for the UK
Our latest event was on Saturday 28th September. Forty people from a range of groups in Bath met to discuss the kind of UK they want to live in and to generate related policy proposals for both national and local government. Bath MP Wera Hobhouse spent part of the day with us, as did two B&NES Council cabinet members.
Participants chose which of four groups to join, each with its own focus: the environment (addressing climate emergency and species extinction); international relations and peace; economic and social justice, and democracy and human rights.
After three sessions of lively, intense and creative discussion, each group presented the proposals they had formulated. Every list of policy proposals was received with acclaim and were agreed by all of those present. Those proposals have now been presented to Wera Hobhouse and to B&NES Council. You can read them here.
The day encouraged all who took part, helping them to see that, despite the current mess we are in, change is possible. Not only can the UK rebuild itself but it can play a role in creating a safer and fairer world.
In the run-up to the General Election on 12th December, we offered parliamentary candidates a chance to address the role of the UK in the world and make a reality - instead of a farce - of Global Britain, holding election hustings at BRLSI. The Brexit and Independent candidates did not respond to our invitation, and the Conservative candidate was unable to take part at the last minute, though she sent answers to the eight questions in our first round - two questions on each of the four headings in our New Vision proposals. We were pleased with the discussion around our main topics on the night, and grateful to Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat) and Mike Davies (Labour) for their answers to questions in the 'open' round. The next step is to engage again with Bath & NE Somerset Council - watch this space!
Recent meetings - still an important resource
Extinction Pathway?
Speaker Dr Phil Webber, President of Scientists for Global Responsibility
at BRLSI on 2 November 2023
Britain has increased its military spending and is illegally enlarging its nuclear arsenal at a time; now there is talk of US nuclear weapons returning to the UK to be based at Lakenheath in Suffolk. All this when climate crisis threatens the Earth. Phil Webber explained how war and the global military industrial complex contribute to climate breakdown, what the effects of even a 'limited' nuclear war would be, and how we might move away from spiralling military spending that wrecks live to look for security elsewhere.
To see Phil Webber's excellent slides (PDF, 3MB) click on the image below
Nuclear Power and its link to Nuclear Weapons
With special reference to Hinkley C
Wednesday 10th July 2019
Tovey Hall, Bath Central URC, Grove Street, Bath
Speaker Dr Ian Fairlie
Radiation Biologist
On our regular peace vigil in Bath, we are often asked to explain the link between nuclear power and nuclear weapons: Ian Fairlie gave a very well informed and topical talk. It was absolutely clear that civil and military applications of nuclear energy are inextricably linked, to the extent that it is not possible to claim that any nuclear power programme is 'atoms for peace'.
To see Dr Fairlie's excellent slides, with academic references, in pdf format, click on the image below
Rethinking Security: Sustainability and Science
Wednesday 5th June 2019
Manvers Street Baptist Church, Bath
Speaker Phil Webber
Chair, Scientists for Global Responsibility
Phil Webber showed detailed and fascinating slides about the links between academic research and the military industrial complex. Click the image below to open the presentation (pdf format).
A War to End All War?
Thursday 15th November 2018
Friends Meeting House, York Street, Bath
Speaker Symon Hill
Co-ordinator, Peace Pledge Union
'Irrespective of the uniforms we wore, we were all victims'
'All those lives lost for a war finished over a table'
Harry Patch
As we reach the centenary of the end of the First World War, journalist and peace activist Symon Hill considers our approach to human security then and now.
Climate Crisis and Human Security
Tuesday 30th October 2018
Friends Meeting House, York Street, Bath
Speakers: Molly Scott Cato
MEP and Hannah Conway
European Parliament Researcher
This well-attended meeting, organised jointly with Bath and North-East Somerset Green Party, considered the effect of climate change on human security. Molly Scott Cato spoke on the Politics of Sustainability, drawing on her many years of campaigning at the highest level. In her presentation Saving our Soils, Hannah Conway, Molly's parliamentary researcher, highlighted the importance of agriculture in climate change.
Both speakers kindly supplied their slides which are packed with useful information and striking graphics. Click on the images below to see the slides.
Effective Responses to Terrorism: Security through Peacebuilding
Wednesday 4th July 2018
Friends Meeting House, York Street, Bath
Speaker Larry Attree
We are often asked how we ourselves respond to terrorism and the threat of terrorism. Our speaker from the independent disarmament think-tank Saferworld will address the question with a critical look at UK and international counter-terrorism policies.
Larry Attree is head of policy at Saferworld. With over 13 years’ experience, he is a globally recognised expert on conflict issues. He input extensively into global negotiations on peace and development issues including the New Deal for Engagement in Fragile States, the Busan Partnership and the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda.
Sixth-form conference
Thursday 12th October 2017
Prior Park College, Bath
Our latest activity in Bath was to invite Celia McKeon as speaker at our UNA group’s annual sixth form conference, which this year was devoted to Rethinking Security
Sixty students took part, from six different schools. Celia gave a really excellent presentation tailored to the youthful audience. She engaged the young people from the start by beginning with questions to them and the level of their attention was evident in the group discussions that followed and the serious way in which they prepared their responses.
The students’ opinions and comments were thoughtful and well articulated and Celia’s responses to them were respectful and incisive. This underlines the importance of running such events and the students went home with much food for thought.
The staff members present and the organisers were all delighted with the way it all went.
The Bundle
Journeyman Theatre
Saturday 8th July 2017, 7:30 pm
Friends Meeting House, York Street, Bath
As part of its programme of events on "Rethinking Security", Bath Stop War staged a performance of The Bundle by Journeyman Theatre
Commissioned by Quakers Asylum-seekers and Refugee Network (QARN), The Bundle
tells the real life story of Adilah, a Chechen woman who flees the persecution and violence of her society and immediate family to save herself and her children. Once in the UK, she continues to negotiate the harsh complexities of bureaucracy to attain refugee status.
In the ‘hostile environment’ intentionally created by the Home Office under Theresa May, the play seeks to explore the life and culture that Adilah (not her real name) and her young family have left behind and the challenges that face them in the UK in 2017.
The title of the piece is taken from the name given to the Home Office file. The bundle is vital to every asylum-seeker as it contains their life stories and the evidence of their claims. Journeymen Theatre have worked closely with the family themselves and with professionals who also work in the area of Asylum and Refugee issues to develop The Bundle.
Election Hustings - Promoting Human Security in an Uncertain World
Thursday 25th May 2017
Friends Meeting House, York Street, Bath
Report by Diana Francis on the pre-election discussion of security and foreign policy with candidates in the Bath constituency.
After a welcome, introductions and a brief outline of the character of Bath Stop War and our Rethinking Security programme, with an empty chair marking the absence of Ben Howlett, the three other candidates made their presentations.
Four prepared questions were put to them by members of the audience: one about Trident and its non-contribution to human security; one about public spending choices and their impact on the security of ordinary people; one about policy on environmental protection, and the last about democracy as related to human security.
Then the floor was open to all and the questions continued for what was probably another 45 minutes. Their variety clearly forced the candidates to think about their responses rather than coming up with stock answers, although they may not always have said what we wanted (especially on Trident).
The atmosphere was mostly civil and relatively friendly and there seemed to be consensus between the candidates that the politics of braying contest needed to be left behind. However, there was one spat between the Libdem and Labour candidates, (with some audience participation) on the subject of tactical voting. A young woman in the audience commented at the end that such behaviour put off people in her age group and turned them away from party politics.
Altogether, I think we succeeded in engaging with our candidates in a way that at least made them think and gave us a chance to assess them in a way that their leaflets don’t. The election outcome will be another matter!
In the age of Trump, how can the UK work for a safer world?
In February 2017 Natalie Bennett from the Green Party gave an inspiring talk at a meeting organised by Bath Stop War and North East Somerset Green Party. She not only had a broad vision of what makes people feel and be safe, connecting up a wide range of aspects of security, but she also gave a wealth of practical and significant examples of a constructive approach.
A full report of the meeting can be downloaded here.
Syria - Talking With A Tyrant? What is life like under the Assad regime?
At this well-attended meeting in December 2016 Simon Fisher shared six observations from his direct experience of visiting Syria. He has written these up in a short article which you can read here.
Simon Fisher, who was in the group, will share some observations from the visit, which potentially challenge key aspects of current Western foreign policy and dominant media narratives. Putting these points across in the UK has brought its own challenges, as there is huge resistance to entertaining multiple perspectives on such an emotionally charged issue as Syria. Yet without flexibility, there is little prospect of sustainable peace.
Public meeting and discussion with Ben Howlett MP
The final Rethinking Security session (see below) focused on what we can do - here and now - to challenge conventional, weapons-based definitions of security. Engaging the local MP in a principled discussion was a high priority. Ben Howlett MP accepted our invitation to hear what emerged from our discussions and address us on the question of what makes us and others safe. In a public meeting on 28th September 2016 key ideas were presented to a wide audience by four participants in the Rethinking Security sessions. This was followed by a lively and open discussion.
A report of the meeting can be downloaded here: Public meeting and discussion with Ben Howlett MP (2-page pdf document)
Resources
Starting Point
Our starting point was Security for the future: in search of a new vision. This document comes from the Ammerdown Group: a collection of professional peace-builders frustrated by the disastrous effect of global militarist policies on local peace-building. It is a succinct analysis of what is at stake. You can download both the full document (10-page pdf, 408kB) and a summary (2-page pdf, 99kB).
Notes from initial meetings
Download the Notes from the final meeting 15 June 2016 (4-page pdf document)
