Tag: politics

Welwyn Hatfield Borough councillor Jill Weston has quit the Labour Party over its refusal to take action to help end the genocide in Gaza.

Jill, who will now continue to represent the Howlands ward as an independent councillor, told the Welwyn Hatfield Times:

“Like so many people all over the world, I have witnessed, over the last almost two years, the relentless bombings of civilians under the Israeli Defence Force pretext of targeting Hamas; the horrific, unbelievably shocking pictures of emaciated, soon-to-die children and babies; the weeping of their helpless mothers; the sudden, deadly murder of journalists and doctors, aid workers and those trying to collect aid; the destruction of hospitals, homes, refugee camps, schools, mosques and UN centres designated for shelter; as well as the constant displacement – the forcing of people to leave their homes to ‘keep safe’ from yet more relentless bombardments.”

“All this is enabled by the steady flow of arms supplies to Israel, sent by the US and European countries, including our own. Our government could have stopped this months ago.”

In addition to the continued flow of arms and military equipment from the UK to Israel, Jill pointed out the Labour government’s failure to uphold the finding by the International Court of Justice in July 2024 that Israel’s 58-year occupation of Gaza and the West Bank is unlawful, as well as its refusal to end trade with Israeli settlements built illegally on occupied Palestinian land in the West Bank.

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Local campaigning has led to four more councils supporting the divestment of their pension funds from companies enabling Israel’s atrocities against Palestinians.

On 17 July, Cardiff Council voted for a motion expressing “in strong terms its view that it does not wish to be associated with companies potentially complicit in in war crimes.” The motion calls on Cardiff & Vale Pension Fund, and the Wales Pension Partnership, to “review their investments” and consider divesting from companies complicit in war crimes. Both bodies are to “regularly review and report divestment progress.”

On 16 July, Lewisham Council passed a motion calling on its Pensions Investment Committee to “work towards disclosing and divesting” from companies “operating within occupied territories” and those involved in human rights abuses. This follows a previous commitment by the Pensions Investment Committee in September 2024 to “review and update its responsible investment policy” with a view to “move away” from companies facilitating human rights abuses, such as through the arms trade.

Also on 16 July, Wakefield Council passed a motion calling on West Yorkshire Pension Fund to divest from “all companies that are complicit in genocide, occupation and apartheid in the Occupied Palestinian Territories”. This follows 59 councillors in Wakefield supporting an open letter calling on West Yorkshire Pension Fund to “implement a policy of divestment” from companies involved in Israel’s crimes against Palestinians.

On 9 July, Norwich City Council‘s cabinet adopted a motion calling on Norfolk Pension Fund to divest from companies involved in “serious human rights violations, environmental destruction, or breaches of international humanitarian law.” The motion calls on the Pension Fund to develop a robust ethical investment policy, with a “clear process and timeline for divesting” from companies in breach of the policy, “with quarterly reporting on progress.”

Sixteen local councils have now passed motions supporting divestment from at least some companies complicit in Israel’s crimes against Palestinians.

We are campaigning for Hertfordshire County Council to do the same and move to end its own £95 million investments in companies complicit in occupation, apartheid and genocide against Palestinians. If you live in Hertfordshire, use this link to email your councillor and tell them to take action for Palestine: https://palestinecampaign.eaction.online/councillorsaction