‘Oppose this latest anti-democratic measure by the unpopular Tory government’

• THE Conservative government is proposing to ban public bodies from making ethical decisions when it comes to purchasing and investments.

They want to take away democratic rights and force public bodies (such as local councils) to adopt the foreign policy decisions of the government of the day.

Camden in the past supported the anti-apartheid struggle when the government of the day supported the white regime in South Africa. That would not have been possible had this legislation been in place.

The proposed legislation would, for instance, undermine the democratic right of public bodies to support the Uyghur minority in China as well as the Palestinian people.

The same applies to divestment campaigns targeting fossil fuel companies and arms manufacturers. Public bodies would not be allowed to support the rights of LGBT people in countries where such rights are regularly violated.

If passed this law would stifle a wide range of campaigns concerned with the arms trade, climate justice, human rights, international law and international solidarity with oppressed peoples struggling for justice.

The proposed law presents a threat to freedom of expression and the ability of public bodies and democratic institutions to spend, invest and trade ethically in line with international law and human rights.

A campaign has been launched by a number of civil rights organisations to oppose this latest anti-democratic measure by the unpopular Tory government (righttoboycott.org.uk).

We urge Sir Keir Starmer and Tulip Siddiq, our MPs, to oppose this bill with all their energy. The Forde Report has recently found that there was a “hierarchy of racism” in the Labour Party which ignored black and Asian people.

This is an opportunity for the Labour Party to show that they still support the rights of civil society and of democratically elected local councils to make their own decisions when it comes to ethical investing.

SABBY SAGALL, CHAIR,
LUCA SALICE, UNA DOYLE, HELENA AKSENTIJEVIC, JANET GREEN, ROBERT BOYCE, DIANE PEARSON, LUKE PEARSON, SIMON PEARSON, STEPHEN KAPOS, & GARETH MURPHY
Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Camden Branch