By Bill Heaney
The Scottish Parliament this week recognised the enormous contribution to the debate on nuclear weapons that was made by the late Reverend John Ainslie and celebrated the publication of the archive of all of his reports by the Nuclear Information Service which will now be passed to the National Library of Scotland.
Mr Ainslie, a Church of Scotland minister, was a familiar presence in Dunbartonshire particularly around HM Naval Base Clyde at Faslane on Garelochside taking part in demonstrations against nuclear weapons.
The Rev John Ainslie was someone whose life’s work was a deep commitment to peace.
Bill Kidd (Glasgow Anniesland) (SNP) led the debate “to recognise the remarkable contributions of the late Rev John Ainslie to the debate on nuclear weapons.”
Mr Kidd welcomed to the Holyrood public gallery representatives of the Nuclear Information Service and the Scottish Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.
He said: “Their efforts are vital, given the continued existence and proliferation of nuclear weapons here in Scotland and around the world. The Nuclear Information Service plays an essential role in the on-going effort towards nuclear disarmament, as it provides rigorous and reliable information on the United Kingdom’s nuclear weapons programme. It is through such efforts that we can engage in informed debates and challenge the dangerous and costly status quo of nuclear armament.”
After the debate, there would be a meeting of the cross-party group on nuclear disarmament and, later, an event at the National Library of Scotland to celebrate the return of the John Ainslie archives. That event will feature a panel discussion with Scottish CND, the Nuclear Information Service and journalist Rob Edwards, editor of The Ferret investigative digital platform, which would further highlight the importance of the Rev John Ainslie’s work.
He said: “John’s life was a journey defined by courage and conviction. Born in Aberdeenshire, he joined the Army in 1971 and studied international relations, becoming a junior officer. However, by 1980, his conscience led him to resign his commission, as a conscientious objector, and he became a passionate advocate for nuclear disarmament. On returning to Scotland, he pursued a degree in divinity and joined the Church of Scotland as a youth worker, while also emerging as a prominent figure in the disarmament movement.
“In 1992, as the co-ordinator of Scottish CND, John made headlines by protesting against the arrival on the Clyde of the first submarine armed with Trident nuclear missiles. He did so with action, not just words, by paddling a canoe to confront the submarine—an act of bravery that led to his arrest by Ministry of Defence police. That moment symbolised his unwavering commitment to a world free from nuclear weapons.
“John combined rigorous academic inquiry with grass-roots activism, which ensured that his contributions had both intellectual and practical impacts. He famously coined the phrase “Bairns not bombs”, which is a powerful slogan that captures his vision of investing in our children and communities rather than in weapons of mass destruction. That simple yet profound message continues to resonate today as we advocate for a nuclear-free future.”
The reports and research that the Rev John Ainslie produced, now digitised by the Nuclear Information Service, remain vital in shaping international discourse on nuclear weapons, Mr Kidd told MSPs.
He added: “Those documents are living tools that continue to inform global efforts towards nuclear disarmament, including the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. The return of those original documents to Scotland’s National Library is more than symbolic; it is a reaffirmation of Scotland’s role in the global peace movement.
“Nuclear disarmament is not just an idealistic goal; it is a practical necessity. Nuclear weapons pose an existential threat to humanity. Their use, whether by design, accident or miscalculation, would have catastrophic consequences, and it is our moral duty to work relentlessly to eliminate those weapons from our world.
“The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which came into force in 2021, represents a historic step forward. Supported by a growing number of nations, the treaty explicitly bans the development, testing, production and possession of nuclear weapons. Scotland, through its people and its leaders, has consistently supported the treaty and the broader movement for disarmament, and John’s work laid much of the groundwork for that support.
“However, significant challenges remain. Nuclear-armed states, including the UK, continue to resist such efforts, and they often cite deterrence as a justification. However, the doctrine of deterrence is fundamentally flawed. It perpetuates a cycle of fear and insecurity and increases the risk of nuclear conflict.
“For as long as the UK maintains its nuclear arsenal on Scottish soil, we find ourselves complicit in that dangerous status quo. Yet Scotland has the potential to be a beacon of hope and a nation that leads by example, by advocating for disarmament and striving for a future where bairns not bombs is a reality.
“As we honour the life and legacy of the late John Ainslie, who died in 2016, let us commit ourselves to continuing his work. Let us strive for a Scotland and a world where peace, justice and human dignity are not overshadowed by the threat of nuclear weapons.
“John’s example inspires us to challenge the status quo and to work tirelessly for a safer and fairer future. Let us use this moment to act, to renew our dedication to nuclear disarmament and to build a future where our children inherit a world free from the threat of nuclear annihilation.”
Conservative MSP Jamie Green told parliament: “I might be a strange choice to speak in this debate, for a number of reasons. I am an MSP with a keen interest in the work of our armed forces; I have the Faslane nuclear base in my parliamentary region, which I have visited multiple times; and I would describe myself as a supporter of our continuous at-sea deterrent.
” However, I would like to think that the Rev John Ainslie, if he was here, would cherish this debate and all speakers’ participation in it. I have much that is positive to say about his work, even if he and I would perhaps have disagreed eye to eye on some of the substantive issues. The underlying premise of his desire for peace across the world is one that I hope we all share, irrespective of our views.
“I was interested to read that he trained to be an officer in the 1970s and he completed a degree in international relations, specialising in NATO’s nuclear strategy. He went on to serve in our armed forces in Ireland. I am reliably told that he possibly even worked in military intelligence, although I am not sure about the truth of that. Famously, he left as a conscientious objector, and he suffered and paid a price as a result of that. He faced tribunals and was forced to pay back some of his university fees.
“At the time when Vanguard, which was the first of the Trident submarines, sailed up the Clyde, he led a flotilla of around 50 small craft, with swimmers and canoeists in the water. The sight of that huge submarine of mass destruction alongside the tiny canoes and the swimmers must have been an iconic vision of that epoch.
“In his many reports, which were very well received as being evidence based and well argued, he aimed to persuade the public of his convictions. Whether one agreed with his work or not, he provided a significant base of information about Britain’s nuclear capabilities. Indeed, I would go as far as saying that it enriched the debate on Britain’s nuclear deterrent. They are weapons of mass death and destruction. He was right about that. Of course, some would argue that that is their very purpose.”
“John’s job title at Scottish CND at that time was administrator, but John Ainslie was no bureaucrat. He was an activist, a thinker, a campaigner, a writer, a protester, and a man of the highest principles. Just listen to his simple, but arresting, opening line in that pamphlet:
‘A Trident submarine is designed to destroy a continent and to kill 200 million people.’
“In the ensuing years, he became an internationally respected authority on nuclear weapons and nuclear disarmament, and no one knew more about the road convoys of warheads that were travelling through Scotland than John. Acutely aware of the dangers, the risks, the hazards—the unintended consequences—as well as the illegal and immoral intended ones, of the nuclear arsenal on our doorstep, he warned that central Scotland, from the Clyde to the Forth, could become a desert because he knew that a nuclear war could start by intent, but it could also start by accident.
The replacement of Polaris with Trident was controversial on its own terms. By 1994, when we wrote the pamphlet, according to the National Audit Office, there had already been an £800 million overspend, but Trident did not just bring about the proliferation of public money—it brought about the proliferation of public terror and, of course, it brought about the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Now, 30 years later, we are drifting towards Trident’s replacement with the Dreadnought programme. We are doing that ‘in conjunction with the United States’, we are told, working closely to ensure that it is it is compatible with the Trident strategic weapon system.
“In other words, we remain a client state to the US, and this at a time when we know that there is a possibility of the return of Donald Trump to the White House.”
‘Looking back 30 years ago, at the time I wrote: ‘Trident is a triumph of the military complex over the needs of the impoverished. It is a triumph of foreign policy over social and industrial policy.”
“I stand by those statements. I cannot think of a better time to launch John Ainslie’s archive than now, because he did ask the critical questions. He pioneered the use of freedom of information laws in search of truth and transparency. What better way to honour his memory than to continue with his work?”