OBITUARY:Professor Mike Pentz
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Tam Dalyell is curiously selective in his long obituary of Professor Mike Pentz [31 May], writes Julian Lewis. Not only was Mike an enemy of nuclear deterrence and of Nato's doctrine of flexible response, he was also a prominent activist in a number of highly committed political bodies.
As Communist Party candidate for the Barnes Division of Surrey County Council, he polled 216 votes in the 1955 local government elections. As well as being a Vice-Chairman of CND (1981-84), he was a Sponsor of the British arm of the leading Soviet front body, the World Peace Council (WPC). He was Chairman of the J.D. Bernal Peace Library, founded by the former WPC Chairman and lifelong Stalinist Bernal in 1967. This was the group which published Mike's 1980 booklet Towards the Final Abyss referred to by Tam Dalyell.
When he set up "Scientists Against Nuclear Arms" (Sana) in 1981, Mike chose the Morning Star as the vehicle for an article explaining "how scientists can arm the peace movement with the facts". In May 1984, he went to Moscow at the invitation of the official Soviet Peace Committee to establish links with the Kremlin's "Scientific Research Council on Problems of Peace and Disarmament". Finally, he was listed as one of four activists due to represent another Soviet front, the World Federation of Scientific Workers, at the 1982 UN Second Special Session on Disarmament.
Mike Pentz never sought to conceal such controversial affiliations during his lifetime: it is misleading of the Independent to do so now that he has died.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments