More than 50 Nobel laureates have signed an open letter calling for all countries to cut their military spending by 2% a year for the next five years, and put half the saved money in a UN fund to combat pandemics, the climate crisis, and extreme poverty.

Keep going, year on year, until no money is wasted - by any country - on military spending. That’s what I say. Eliminating poverty and looking after the planet are much more noble endeavours than all the posturing and threats to eliminate each other.

For man at war with man, hears not the love song which they bring.

O hush your noise, ye men of strife, and hear the angels sing.