The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) has been a prominent voice for pacifism and anti-nuclear activism in Britain since its formation in 1958. Its influence peaked during the Cold War, when the spectre of nuclear annihilation loomed large.
However, the organisation’s ties to the Soviet Union during this period have long been a topic of speculation and controversy. Critics have accused the CND of being infiltrated or influenced by Soviet operatives, including allegations of funding and control by the KGB.
This article examines the evidence surrounding these claims, focusing on key figures such as Bruce Kent and Joan Ruddock and insights provided by former KGB officer Oleg Gordievsky.
CND’s Mission and Context in the Cold War
CND emerged as a grassroots movement advocating unilateral nuclear disarmament in Britain. It campaigned against the proliferation of nuclear weapons and the UK’s involvement in the arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union.
During the Cold War, CND became a significant force, organising mass demonstrations, including the famous Aldermaston marches, and influencing public discourse on nuclear issues. However, its call for unilateral disarmament led to accusations of naivety or even complicity with Soviet geopolitical goals, given that it sought to weaken Western nuclear deterrence while the USSR maintained a robust arsenal.
Visits to Moscow: Bruce Kent and Joan Ruddock
Bruce Kent, a former Catholic priest and CND’s General Secretary during the 1980s, was a charismatic figure who helped galvanise public support for the movement.
Kent was a patron of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) a former chair of which was Hugh Lanning, barred from entering Israel in 2017. The Israeli embassy in the UK said this was in part due to his connections with Hamas.
PSC has reportedly enjoyed the support of CND during pro-Palestinian demonstrations in London and elsewhere with four members having described Hamas gunmen who carried out the October 7th attack as “resistance fighters”.
Joan Ruddock, who chaired the organisation from 1981 to 1987, also played a prominent role in its leadership. Both individuals visited Moscow during their tenure, raising eyebrows among critics who questioned their motives and potential influence by Soviet authorities.
A letter from one O. Kharkhardin, vice-President of the Soviet Peace Committee to Joan Ruddock, following a trip to Moscow in July 1982 is revealing.
The Soviet Peace Committee, generally accepted to have been a KGB front group, was established in 1949 to co-ordinate peace movements, “fellow travellers and useful idiots,” as Lenin would have labelled them.
Kent’s visits to Moscow were ostensibly to engage in dialogue with Soviet officials and peace activists. He argued that communication was essential to reducing tensions and promoting disarmament.
Similarly, Ruddock’s visits were framed as part of CND’s broader mission to foster international cooperation on peace initiatives. However, these trips were perceived by some as a tacit endorsement of Soviet positions or even an indication of undue influence on CND by the USSR.
Allegations of KGB Funding and Control
Rumours of Soviet funding and control over CND have persisted for decades. Critics claimed that the KGB sought to exploit the movement to destabilise NATO and undermine Western resolve in the arms race. These accusations were partly fueled by the broader geopolitical context: the USSR actively supported peace movements across Europe as part of its strategy to weaken opposition to its military ambitions.
The claims reached a fever pitch during the 1980s, when CND’s popularity surged amidst widespread opposition to the deployment of US nuclear missiles in Europe. Some argued that the movement’s emphasis on unilateral disarmament played into Soviet hands, as it would have left Western Europe vulnerable to Soviet aggression. However, no concrete evidence of direct KGB funding or control over CND leadership has been substantiated.
Insights from Oleg Gordievsky
A significant source of information about Soviet activities in Britain during the Cold War comes from Oleg Gordievsky, a high-ranking KGB officer who defected to the West in 1985. Gordievsky served as the deputy head of the KGB’s London station and had firsthand knowledge of Soviet intelligence operations.
Gordievsky confirmed to me personally during a meeting in London in June 2006 that the KGB monitored and attempted to influence Western peace movements, including CND. According to his accounts, the KGB saw CND as a valuable ally in its propaganda efforts, although he emphasised that the organisation itself was not directly controlled by Soviet intelligence.
Instead, the KGB sought to amplify CND’s message by providing covert support to its campaigns, often through intermediary organisations and individuals. Gordievsky noted that while CND’s leadership was not complicit in these activities, the movement’s agenda aligned with Soviet interests, particularly its opposition to NATO’s nuclear policies.
The Complexity of the CND-Soviet Relationship
The relationship between CND and the Soviet Union was undoubtedly complex. While there is no definitive proof of direct funding or control by the KGB, it is clear that the Soviet Union sought to leverage CND’s influence for its own purposes. The movement’s calls for unilateral disarmament, while rooted in genuine pacifist convictions, coincided with Soviet strategic objectives, leading to accusations of complicity or naivety.
CND’s leaders, including Kent and Ruddock, have consistently denied any inappropriate ties to the Soviet Union. They have defended their visits to Moscow as efforts to promote dialogue and mutual understanding, arguing that peace could only be achieved through engagement with all parties, including the USSR.
Critics, however, remain skeptical, pointing to the broader context of Soviet manipulation of peace movements during the Cold War.
In 1983 when Tony Blair stood as a candidate in the UK general election, unilateral nuclear disarmament by the UK was one of his campaign pledges. Unsurprising as he was a member of CND.
Although he denied it for some time, former UK Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair was reportedly a member of Parliamentary Labour CND as recently as 1986.
Another prominent Labour figure to have been a CND member was the former Home Secretary (1997-2001) &nd Foreign Secretary (2001-2006) Jack Straw.
CND campaigner & chair of Young Labour Jess Barnard.
This group is currently, and somewhat predictably, advocating an end to western support for Israel.
Oleg Gordievsky, in 2018, wrote of another former Labour leader and CND supporter, Michael Foot, “A leading supporter of CND, he also passed on what he knew about debates over nuclear weapons.
“The KGB gave him drafts of articles encouraging British disarmament which he could then edit and publish, unattributed to their real source, in Tribune.”
Legacy and Lessons
The debate over CND’s ties to the Soviet Union highlights the challenges faced by peace movements operating in a polarized geopolitical environment. While CND’s commitment to nuclear disarmament was sincere, its position left it vulnerable to accusations of undermining Western security and unwittingly advancing Soviet interests.
The insights provided by figures like Oleg Gordievsky offer a nuanced perspective on the interplay between grassroots activism and great-power politics. They remind us that even well-intentioned movements can become entangled in the machinations of state actors seeking to exploit their influence for strategic gain.
CND currently – and again, predictably – campaigns against the free world’s support for Ukraine. Indeed today, December 7th 2024, the group is holding demonstrations in the UK against the decision to allow Ukraine to use western supplied missiles against targets on Russian territory.
Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose!
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Main Image: By Johnragla – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27432197
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