Stop the War coalition Newsletter 12.12.25
Posted: 12th December 2025
Newsletter 12/12/25
Please keep giving to our Winter Appeal – we are more than three-quarters there – time for one last push!
Rutte: NATO must prepare for a large-scale European war
Instability is spreading, with it a redrawing of the world order.
The leaking of Trump’s new National Security Strategy shows his administration wants to blow-up the world order established at the end of the Cold War. The destabilisation of Europe and support for its far-right is part of this strategy. The European Union and NATO are in a state of panic, rearmament and conscription are the order of the day. Mark Rutte, head of NATO, warned that Europe is Russia’s next target and could soon be in a full-blown war, saying members must shift to a “wartime mindset” before it’s too late.
At the same time the US seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, in what can only be described as an act of piracy. Meanwhile in a display of defiance US nuclear-capable bombers flew over the Sea of Japan alongside Japanese fighter jets.
It is clear we are living in truly dangerous times. This is why we are asking all our groups and supporters to launch a series of meetings in the new year on the increasing levels of Islamophobia stoked by war and the far-right and on the new militarism being pushed by our leaders.
Key dates for 2026
- National Palestine coalition demonstration - 31 January.
- Workplace day of action for Palestine – 12 February.
- The trial of Ben Jamal and Chris Nineham begins on 23 February at Westminster Magistrates Court, followed by those of Alex Kenny and Sophie Bolt. We will be protesting outside the court from 8am on the first morning of the trial.
- Stop the War’s annual conference - 14 March
- Together against the Far Right national demonstration - 28 March
- Nakba commemoration march – 16 May
- International peace conference, Westminster Central Hall – 20 June. Please take our
Get ready to continue marching for Gaza. With the continuing Israeli attacks and the ongoing genocide, it is important we keep protesting. The media may have forgotten the plight of the Palestinians, but we must keep showing that it remains an emergency.
Saturday 31 January
12:00 noon
Central London
We also ask all our supporters to ask their MPs to sign the Early Day Motion on the Palestine Action hunger strikers, calling for the government to intervene. The strikers have been held in prison on remand for over a year, five of the eight hunger strikers have been hospitalised, yet still David Lammy refuses to discuss their case. All eight were accused of offences occurring before the group was proscribed.
Stop the War’s Annual Conference 2026
Our annual conference Time to Stop Militarism, War and Islamophobia will be held on 14 March and will address this alarming situation. We will be joined by key figures and experts from across the movement.
If you would like to attend the conference and play a part in shaping StW’s response to this increasingly unstable world, join us on 14 March. To do so you must be either a member of StW (you will need to have joined before the end of January 2026), or a delegate from an affiliated organisation. So join our movement now and register for conference.
Stop the War is proud to be one of the participants in the Together Alliance, a new coalition to expose and challenge the rise of the far right in Britain. As the voices of division have grown louder across the country it is time to take a stand.
Stars, including Lenny Henry, Beverly Knight, Mark Rylance, Little Mix and StW president Brian Eno, to name but a few, have pledged their support, as have major trade unions along with social movements and activist organisations.
The Together Alliance is mobilising for a national demonstration on 28 March, hoping to bring together those of us who wish to reject the politics of hate and division. In the new year there will be local rallies and events up and down the country to help build the national demonstration. Sign up here for more information and to keep abreast of events.
The Stop the War Winter Appeal had a fantastic boost at last night’s auction but we still need to raise more for the challenges we face in the coming year. Please do give generously if you haven’t already.
There’s still (just) time to buy some stocking fillers from our online shop, but hurry Christmas is less than two weeks away!
This week’s anti-war briefing
