Our Origins

Where did the Ministry for Peace idea come from - the early days  (2003/4)

The idea originated with Diana Basterfield, a member of the public, who then sought support for it within Parliament. John McDonnell, MP for Hayes and Harlington, agreed to be the parliamentary spokesperson. They are the joint Co-Founders. We were aware of the initiative by Dennis Kucinich, a Democratic contender for the US Presidency in 2004, to set up a Cabinet level Department of Peace in the United States. We also knew that Marianne Williamson, author, lecturer and co-founder of the Global Renaissance Alliance, was working closely with Dennis Kucinich to get support for his Bill.

Marianne was coming to London at the end of June to lead a two day workshop and she very kindly agreed to come our first Ministry for Peace meeting at the House of Commons on 1 July 2003 to tell us about the American campaign. A brief background paper was prepared and invitations were sent out to all MP's and members of the House of Lords and a first attempt at a list of peace organisations.

First meeting at the House of Commons, 1 July 2003

Fifty eight individuals, including some MP's and members of the House of Lords as well as members of peace organisations attended. As the minutes show, there was a very informal discussion about whether or not people were interested in the concept of a Ministry for Peace and, if they were, how this could be taken forward.

It was an extremely positive meeting and we agreed to meet again on 16 September 2003 to discuss in more detail the aims, organisation and operation of a Ministry for Peace and also how to promote and mobilise support for the concept both publicly and politically. To inform the discussion at the next meeting we felt it was crucial to learn as much as possible about previous similar initiatives. People offered to do some research and send this in for distribution to people on the database.

Over the summer we received and circulated papers from James Thring, Christopher Titmuss, the Shend'ge Trust and Chris Coverdale. We also enlarged our database and approached many national and international peace organisations inviting them to send representatives along to the next meeting.

Second meeting at the House of Commons, 16 September 2003

As the minutes show, over 80 individuals and organisations attended. The first part of the meeting was spent in small groups discussing the following questions:

• What stimulated you to become involved with this initiative for a Ministry for Peace?
• The aims and scope of the Ministry for Peace
• Ideas for organising the Ministry for Peace
• How could you contribute to this initiative?
• Promoting and mobilising support for the concept

There was then an open discussion around these themes. The atmosphere was very focused and inspirational. The contributions were wide-ranging, and with regard to the structure of the proposed Ministry, ranged from it being a body wholly inside government, to one wholly outside government or a combination of the two - in and out.

The overwhelming conclusion of the meeting was that we must 'catch the wind' of public yearning for peace and put peace in power.

Third public meeting at the House of Commons, 29 October 2003

This meeting was very well attended. The minutes include an update from John McDonnell on the success of our first Ten Minute Rule Bill, proposing a Ministry for Peace and a Commission for Peace, and what our next parliamentary steps could be. Ruth Rosen read "Vision 2020 - a report from a peaceful and sustainable world" from a book by Ervin Laszlo. Groups were formed to discuss ideas relating to (a) bill, parliamentary, research and consultation (b) media, public relations, marketing, fundraising and web site (c) networking. These groups reported back to the meeting and people were invited to sign up to continue to meet and work in these teams.

Fourth public meeting held on December 3rd, 2003

Around 120 people attended the meeting and it began with a quote from Brigadier Harbottle who as far back as 1984 had called for ministries of peace to be set up across the world. Two speakers from the USA - Suzanne Keehn, a volunteer with the Kucinich campaign, and Melissa Adams, a Kucinich for President campaign worker, brought greetings from Dennis Kucinich and his team. John McDonnell, MP then explained that, with the end of the parliamentary session, the Ten Minute Rule Bill had now fallen but that a new bill would be put through in the current session (November 2003 - November 2004). In anticipation of this new bill there was a consultation exercise and people worked in groups of ten commenting on the first Bill and adding new points.   In the event we decided not to put in a new Bill. It would have been unlikely to have been given Parliamentary time 

Fifth public meeting held on January 28th 2004

Around 140 people had reserved a place for this meeting but several hours before the start London experienced a snow blizzard. Nevertheless around 100 people braved it through the flurries to hear a brilliant talk by Kai Frithof Brand-Jacobsen from Transcend and Patrir. His theme was: "The Iraq war and wars of terrorism: What could have been done? What can be done? Strategies for effective peacebuilding for governments and citizens" A recording was made of this talk and is available from the on-line shop.

Away weekend January 31st - February 1st 2004

Thirty three members of the Steering Committee and mfp teams (together with several participants from the January open meeting, travelled to the Teikyo campus in Buckinghamshire along with two brilliant Facilitators, Masana da Souza and David Wasdell, who very generously donated their time. These two days gave us thinking time to address a number of issues including looking at our governance arrangements. It also allowed us to get to know one another better as there is very little time for this at task-oriented meetings. We left with a number of unfinished tasks which have since been completed - the purpose statement and the new structure but they weren't ready in time for the proposed March 3rd open meeting so this was cancelled.

Conference at Friends House, Euston Road, London 3rd April 2004: "Peace builder or warmonger? Britain's role in the 21st Century."

The conference was attended by around 150 people and the speakers and themes were:

• Peace is cheaper
  John Randall, MP - Co-sponsor of mfp Bill
• Peace for the Pound' - the cost-effectiveness of non-military intervention in conflict
  Scilla Elworthy, Executive Director, Peace Direct
• Government subsidies on arms exports
  Paul Ingram - Senior Analyst, British American Security Council
• The environmental costs of war
  Tony Juniper ­ Executive Director, Friends of the Earth
• Coalition building for a new democracy
  Simon Woolley - Operation Black Vote

At lunchtime there was a fantastic multi cultural musical entertainment led by Professor Ian Hall that had people up on their feet dancing.

In the afternooon there was a panel discussion chaired by Christopher Titmuss with contributions on:

• A young peace campaigner's perspective on peace building
  Kierra Box - Co-Founder, Hands up for Peace



• How dialogue has furthered peace and understanding across ethnic and religious boundaries



• Lord Ahmed - Interreligious and International Federation for World Peace



• Is peace journalism possible?
  Annabel McGoldrick - Director, Reporting the World

The conference concluded with two contributions from the two Co Founders:

• Why a Ministry for Peace?
  Diana Basterfield



• Taking the Ministry for Peace Bill through the House of Commons
  John McDonnell, MP

There was also a showing of the new 14 minute Movement for the Abolition of War film: "War no more" ­ with contributions from Martin Bell, Kierra Box, Bruce Kent, Caroline Lucas, MEP, Professor Sir Joseph Rotblat, Phil Shiner, Jon Snow, Tahrir Swift and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

A DVD of the day is available from http://www.jeweltree.co.uk/.

Why a Ministry for Peace? Why now?

Christopher Titmuss encapsulates exactly why now is the time for a Ministry for Peace:

"The English have engaged in wars for 56 out of every 100 years during the last thousand years - more than any other nation. One to two million walked on the streets of London on a Saturday in February, as well as in many other towns and cities in Britain on that day, demanding an end to the proposed war on Iraq. People in 600 cities around the world walked for peace on that day.

A Ministry for Peace would send out an historic signal to the country and to the world marking a possibility for a momentous departure from our history of war making. This country has more responsibility (along with the USA) for such a Ministry because of our painful history and global influence.

There is no better time for change. As John McDonnell said: "We have to catch the wind." This would be an historic piece of legislation - probably as significant as giving women the vote in the last century. On matters of peace, the government needs to be held to be greater accountability, both within itself and outside of itself. This initiative addresses both.

This is a new millennium and requires a vision to go with it. Wars belong to the past, to uncivilised responses to conflict. Peace, negotiation, reconciliation and facilitation belong to the present."

We look forward to working with all those who yearn for peace.