Council withdraws 'People Make Glasgow' support for ‘Trident showcase’ arms fair

There is further concern that the council's arms-length leisure services charity Glasgow Life is adding its support to the event, lending its 'People Make Glasgow' city branding to the promotional material.

But now it has been confirmed that the logo has been removed.

BEFORE (above) and AFTER (below).

The event at the Scottish Event Campus, will see dozens of firms from around the world gather to promote defence and security equipment.

BAE Systems and Babcock International, which are designing and constructing a new fleet of Trident nuclear submarines, are lead sponsors of the fair.

The city council in defending the event say it was held in Glasgow in 2008 and had stressed conferences and exhibitions are worth £130 million to the local economy each year.

But now Glasgow City Council has confirmed that the while it has not changed "practical support" for the event, it had been decided that the People Make Glasgow log should be removed.

A spokesman said: “Our conventions team uses the brand – and, in this case, that reflected the practical support they offer to event organisers and venues in the city.

“At the same time, the brand is hugely popular and we appreciate that people in the city feel some sense of ownership of it – which is a really positive thing.

“There was clearly some confusion about what it represented on this occasion, so we agreed with the organiser that it was better to remove it.”

Scottish CND were among groups that had previously confirmed they planned to hold a demonstration during the three-day gathering, which opens on June 26.

And Jay Sutherland of Scotland Against Militarism said the group “won’t be backing down” until full support is removed.

She said: "The decision to use the logo was completely hypocritical to begin with when most people in Glasgow who are aware of this Arms Fair oppose it.

"Scotland Against Militarism and the Sink UDT Campaign first pushed for them to remove the branding with our meeting with Susan Aiken, this was not a decision that the council came to themselves.

"Most of all it shows that people power works and that the council realise they have got it completely wrong, but they are still refusing to remove full support. They recognise that people have claimed the brand but what they don’t realise is that people own the city too and we are not putting up with this.

"We won’t be backing down until they remove their full support for the event, nothing less. Otherwise they are simply hiding their interests and involvement."

Campaign Against the Arms Trade’s Kate Nevens said it is crucial the council put a framework in place for future events.

She said: “Hosting a major arms fair is completely incompatible with a city like Glasgow, which is anti-nuclear and famous for its opposition to war.”

UDT, now in its 31st year, has been sold in promotional material as a forum to allow businesses to "engage with the undersea defence community, network and meet prospective customers, showcase your products and services and reinforce your commitment to this ever-evolving domain".

The promoters say it provides arms companies with the chance to "meet face-to-face" with over 1,400 international, senior military and industry leaders".

It is organised by Clarion Events, which has hosted family-friendly gatherings such as the Baby Show, the Horse Show and the Spirit of Christmas. Since 2008, it has acquired six arms fairs and joined the arms industry trade body ADS.

In September last year, more than 100 people were arrested at protests outside a controversial Defence and Security Equipment International arms fair which Clarion organised.

A Sink the Arms Fair coalition opposing the Glasgow event includes Scottish CND, Campaign Against the Arms Trade Scotland, Scotland Against Militarism, Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Dovetales, Food Not Bombs, Catholic Worker and the Scottish Peace Network.
 

Glasgow Life declined to comment.