Liberal Democrat Sue Miller has dedicated much of her life to reducing the threat of nuclear conflict, yet progress remains elusive. She notes a troubling lack of public discourse on non-proliferation and disarmament, highlighting that the last prominent figures to engage deeply with these issues were Gordon Brown and Margaret Beckett—voices that now seem distant in today's heightened geopolitical climate.
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists' Doomsday Clock, a symbolic gauge of global peril, currently stands at a record 85 seconds to midnight, reflecting unprecedented danger even before recent conflicts. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has been accompanied by veiled threats of tactical nuclear use, while drone incursions into NATO territories have intensified European security concerns without spurring moves toward de-escalation. Simultaneously, some non-nuclear European nations are exploring 'nuclear latency'—developing the capability to rapidly acquire nuclear weapons—further complicating disarmament efforts.