The Office of National Statistics has awarded a £150 million contract to Lockheed Martin UK, a subsidiary of the world’s largest arms manufacturer, to run the data processing of the national census 2011.

As citizens, it is our duty and legal obligation to cooperate with the census. Yet cooperating will, in my view, amount to the tacit support of a process of legitimizing the arms trade.

I feel unable to do this, as it is in direct contradiction with my values and beliefs. I angry and disappointed that to object on conscientious grounds makes me a criminal in the eyes of the law, but conscience will not allow me to complete the form and so collude with the war industry. I will be returning it to the Office of National Statistics with a letter explaining my decision.

I will be doing this along with a group of other Friends from 

“We totally oppose all wars, all preparation for war, all use of weapons and coercion by force and all military alliances. No end could ever justify such means.“ (Quaker Faith and Practice)