Labour just quietly let US nuclear bombs land at RAF Lakenheath

The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) is calling on the British government to make a formal statement on the return of US nuclear weapons to Britain via RAF Lakenheath. It is demanding that the government facilitate a transparent debate and vote in parliament on any such a deployment. It follows reports in the media that high priority US transport aircraft designated for nuclear cargo, was detected landing at RAF Lakenheath last week.

This appears to have been a “one-way drop-off” of B61-12 nuclear bombs, according to experts. This means US nuclear weapons are on British soil for the first time since 2008.

RAF Lakenheath: CND expose US nuclear weapons on UK soil

Despite the government’s secrecy, evidence has gradually emerged that the base has been primed for a new US nuclear weapons mission. This includes the doubling of nuclear-capable F-35A squadrons to RAF Lakenheath, upgrades to the base’s special weapons storage bunkers to hold the B61-12, and the building of a ‘Surety dormitory’. The latter is accommodation for the additional personnel needed for such a nuclear weapons mission.

In April, CND uncovered declassified Ministry of Defence (MOD) documents which give US Visiting Forces across Britain an exemption from British nuclear safety regulations. This exemption means that local councils will never be told about the presence of nuclear weapons at these bases. It means they are therefore not obliged to produce their own emergency plans for a radiological accident.

Successive British governments have tried to obstruct debate on this deployment, hiding behind so-called ‘national security’. However, these bombs won’t keep citizens safe. Instead, they increase the risk of nuclear war. This is because the US has designed the B61-12 specifically for use on the battlefield alongside conventional weapons. It puts British people on the nuclear frontline of Donald Trump’s global wars – without any protection.

Polling from May 2025 found that 61% of the British public don’t want US nuclear weapons in the UK. This is just another shameful example of the government ramming through its agenda. It is doing so without any consultation with the public it is supposed to represent the wishes of.

UK government must come clean

CND Chair Tom Unterrainer said:

CND has been calling on the government to come clean about the return of US nuclear weapons to Britain since 2022 – with more evidence proving that RAF Lakenheath is being primed for such a mission gradually uncovered ever since.

It is completely inappropriate for the public to be finding out about such a major escalation in nuclear dangers via reports in British newspapers and the assessments of security experts. Starmer must make a public statement about this major change in Britain’s security arrangements and allow for a transparent and democratic debate on this to be held in Parliament. Enough of the gaslighting and hiding behind national security – the public deserve the truth!

CND is inviting those opposed to this dangerous development to join the monthly vigil at the main gate of RAF Lakenheath, scheduled for this Saturday, from 12pm to 2pm. More details can be found here.

Featured image via the Canary