Fears of a nuclear weapons “cover-up” have erupted following the revelation that the UK government signed a secret agreement allowing the United States to bring nuclear bombs into Britain, without informing local authorities.
A declassified document, obtained by the Mirror, shows that former Defence Secretary Ben Wallace approved a waiver in March 2021 exempting US forces from key British radiation safety laws. The measure, intended to support “national security”, applies to all American military bases in the UK, including RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk.
The exemption removes any legal obligation for the US to inform local councils about the storage of nuclear weapons or adhere to British regulations concerning radiation risks. As a result, local authorities are also unable to formulate emergency disaster plans, sparking serious public safety concerns.
Nuclear Presence Denied, but Never Confirmed
RAF Lakenheath, which hosts F-35A Lightning II fighter jets and is home to the US Air Force’s 48th Fighter Wing, has long been suspected of preparing for a return to nuclear operations. Although officials have never confirmed whether nuclear bombs are currently housed at the base, recent US Department of Defense documents suggest significant infrastructure developments in support of a possible “nuclear mission”.
The Ministry of Defence was compelled to declassify the Wallace-signed waiver to satisfy a legal request from the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), which challenged the government’s obligations to local communities.
CND: “This Smacks of a Cover-Up”
CND General Secretary Sophie Bolt has criticised the move as “deeply irresponsible” and lacking transparency.
“This exemption smacks of a cover-up for a new generation of deadly US nuclear bombs that could be deployed in Britain. Nuclear weapons are the most destructive in the world, yet the government is more concerned about its special relationship with the US than people’s safety,” she said.
She added that the waiver means the public may never know whether nuclear weapons are being stored near their homes and warned that the exemption undermines local emergency preparedness.
“Local authorities will never be told about any nuclear weapons present in their area and will be under no legal obligation to produce emergency radiation plans,” Bolt stated.
Political Pressure Builds
The secrecy surrounding the pact has prompted political backlash, with senior Labour MP and former Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell expressing concern over the government’s lack of transparency.
“This is extremely concerning. People need to know what risks their government is imposing on them. The ability to hold governments and the military to account is totally undermined by this level of secrecy,” McDonnell said.
The controversy reignites longstanding concerns over RAF Lakenheath’s role in nuclear strategy. In 2022, American planning documents indicated preparations to support a nuclear capability at the Suffolk airbase. References to an “upcoming nuclear mission” and “surety mission” (widely understood to denote nuclear weapons storage) were included in defence documents.
Infrastructure Points to Potential Nuclear Return
Further fuelling speculation, a US government contract notice published in September revealed plans to spend £728,379.96 on high-security guard shelters at Lakenheath. These “hardened ballistic security shelters” are blast-resistant, featuring bulletproof steel and reinforced windows designed to withstand gunfire from a .30 calibre rifle. The shelters will be used by the base’s 48th Security Forces Squadron to protect what the documents call “high value assets”.
In 2008, nuclear bombs were reportedly removed from the site. However, its current role, housing more than 4,000 American service personnel and over 1,500 British and US civilians, makes it a significant hub for joint defence operations.
Adding to the concern is the fact that the F-35A Lightning II, now based at RAF Lakenheath, has been tested to carry the B61-12 thermonuclear bomb, which experts say has a yield of up to 340 kilotons, approximately 20 times the power of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.
MoD Refuses to Confirm or Deny
In response to growing scrutiny, a Ministry of Defence spokesperson issued a statement reiterating long-standing policy:
“The UK and NATO have a long-standing policy to neither confirm nor deny the presence of nuclear weapons at any given location.”
Despite this, campaigners and MPs alike are calling for Prime Minister Keir Starmer to come forward and publicly clarify whether the UK is once again hosting US nuclear weapons.
