Stop the War coalition Newsletter 16.1.26

Newsletter 16/01/26

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Preparations for War

It’s time to sever ties with US foreign policy. The ‘special relationship’ is toxic and the British people deserve better. Appeasement of Trump is dragging the world to war. 

The speed at which attention moved from Gaza to Venezuela, to war with Russia, to threat of attack on Iran, reveals the global nature of Trump’s war drive. It also shows the challenges facing the anti-war movement.

National march for Palestine 

31 January – Russell Square to Whitehall

Meanwhile Starmer is expected to take a seat on Trump’s so-called ‘Board of Peace’, the colonial body established to rule Gaza. Clearly the man has no shame. The Board of Peace is nothing more than a colonial project, denying Palestinian rights to sovereignty. Starmer’s inclusion on the board as British Prime Minister gives an added urgency to the next national Palestine demonstration on 31 January. 

We demand an end to British complicity in the occupation of Palestine and the Israeli genocide. Make sure you are there!

The route has now been agreed. We will be marching from Russell Square to Whitehall. Do everything you can to make the demonstration as big as possible.

Contact the StW office for leaflets and let us know if you are able to help on the day.

StW local meetings and annual conference

As if Trump’s warmongering was not enough, British ministers are now directly threatening Russia, with little heed to possible retaliation. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said she would “tighten the chokehold” on Russia’s shadow fleet, and has rejected calls by France and Italy to engage in peace talks with Putin. The Royal Marines are training for war at Camp Viking in the Arctic and Cooper has publicly backed the idea of an “Arctic Sentry” NATO mission, to counter the “Russian threat in the high north.”

Stop the War is organising a series of meetings around the country on Trump’s wars. Do what you can to get involved with your local group and keep an eye on our events page for details.

We are also organising a national conference on 14 March which will decide how StW responds to these alarming global events. If you would like to be a part of the decision making process you will need to join StW as a member by the end of January. Consider taking advantage of our special January offer here. It has never been more urgent to become involved. 

Non members may attend the conference (although cannot vote), so register now to hear the discussion and analysis by key members of the anti-war movement, including Jeremy Corbyn MP and our Convenor Lindsey German.

Saturday 14 March

 11:00 – 17:00

Hamilton House, London, WC1H 9BD

Militarisation is a trade union issue

In 2025 the TUC adopted a ‘wages not weapons’ resolution, and in the new year the trade union movement came out strongly against Trump’s attacks on Venezuela and the kidnapping of Maduro. We need to keep up the anti-war momentum in the trade unions. Help us do so by joining our trade union network meeting and hear from leading trade unionists on how the labour movement can organise against war.

The meeting will look ahead to: the Workplace Day of Action for Palestine taking place on Thursday 12 February 2026; the Peace Conference in June 2026; TUC Congress 2026.

Speakers include:

• Clément Poullet, General Secretary – French Education Union (FNECFP)
• Maryam Eslamdoust, General Secretary – Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA)
• Gawain Little, General Secretary – General Federation of Trade Unions (GFTU)
• Lindsey German, Convenor – Stop the War Coalition (StWC)
• Micaela Tracey-Ramos, NEC Member – Unison

Defend the Right to Protest

Ben Jamal and Chris Nineham have been charged for peacefully protesting genocide on 18 January 2025. As two of the leaders of the Palestine Coalition their case has significant reverberations for the Palestine movement as well as for the right to protest more generally. It is important we stand with Chris and Ben and do what we can to protest against this disgraceful abuse of police powers and the law.

 Monday 23 February

 9am

Westminster Magistrates Court, London NW1 5BR

Watch Chris on why everyone who supports the Palestinian cause and believes in defending the right to protest should be at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 23 February.

London Peace Conference - 20 June

As Trump’s gangsterism causes reverberations around the world the European Peace Conference on 20 June could not come at a more critical moment.

Trump announced he intends to increase the US military budget by 50%, taking it to a staggering $1.5 trillion. Europe is responding with a massive rearmament programme of its own and is introducing conscription – so far in France, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium – and there are moves in that direction here too. Watch John Rees, STW officer, talk about European preparations for war. 

It’s up to us to do everything we can to resist. Please help build the conference and download our model resolution to submit to your union branch to support the conference.

We are getting closer to reaching our appeal goal – please help with the last few thousand pounds. If everyone reading this newsletter gave just the price of a cup of coffee we would hit our target. So please do what you can. 

This week’s anti-war briefing