‘Every effort to isolate South Africa adds strength to our struggle’ – Nelson Mandela’s message on the back of a ‘Boycott Apartheid’ bus, London, 1989 [Rahuldlucca, Venezuela CC-By-2.0 Generic]  

• CAMDEN and Islington Momentum are calling out the recent “anti-boycott bill” going through parliament as a possible “breach of international law” as it would effectively make United Kingdom public bodies complicit in aiding and abetting war crimes and crimes against humanity.

It would put public bodies between a rock and a hard place. If they abide by this new UK law, they would be at risk of breaking international law on aiding and abetting crimes in Israel.

It is an absolutely impossible position that the government is imposing on public bodies and such a law would have stopped the boycott of apartheid South Africa if in statute at the time.

The bill will encourage even more “violations of international law” and Britain’s supposed commitment to the global rule-of-law-based order.

We view the proposed legislation as yet another sign that the UK is abdicating its historic responsibility for and direct role in creating the plight of the Palestinian people.

We call for commitments from Labour in line with policy decided by the Labour conference to oppose any further readings of this bill.

We call on the next Labour government to repeal this legislation if passed.

PAUL RENNY
JOHN WITHINGTON
SHEZAN RENNY
Camden & Islington Momentum