Five Reasons to vote “Peace” at the forthcoming council elections in West Sussex (Horsham) and West Surrey (Guildford) to demonstrate your feelings towards the national government and its thinking:

1. War and the threat of war is spreading. Trump’s attacks and regime change in Venezuela and the siege of Cuba, the war in the Middle East, threats in the Pacific and the ongoing war in Ukraine all show the world is in a perilous state.

2. Militarism is on the rise. Massive hikes in military spending are being seen throughout Europe. Europe is not just rearming but is reindustrialising for ‘defence’. In the UK, the government has brought forward military spending targets and wants to boost drone and military manufacturing. The French leadership has called for greater defence cooperation and procurement across Europe, while in Germany Volkswagen is signalling a move from car production to military manufacturing.

3. Conscription is on the up across the continent. In France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark and Eastern Europe the young are being prepared to fight. Here the government clearly plans to introduce conscription by stealth. The military has been told to be ‘ready to fight’ – to be killers, to be “sacrificed”.

4. Racism is fuelled by foreign wars – especially Middle Eastern ones. The rise in Islamophobia, the pandering to the politics of hate and anti-migrant rhetoric are all corrupting society and politics, leading to a surge in support for far-right political parties here. Similar currents are witnessed across Europe.

5. War comes home to bite. The war on Iran has caused economic shock waves around the world. Oil and energy prices are rising rapidly; fertiliser and food are expected to follow. The cost of living will hit us all and the poor will pay the hardest.

The Peace Party is grateful for the inspiration of a Stop the War Coalition’s posting on Facebook.