UK government takes first historic step to ban BDS in Britain

Amendment passed to stop council pension funds from backing boycott sanctions against UK companies connected with Israel

THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT has taken the historic first step in outlawing the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement in Britain.

Amid protests from some Labour MPs, an amendment tabled by former Communities Minister Rob Jenrick has been passed with the government support to stop local authority pension funds from backing BDS sanctions against UK companies connected with Israel.

The move comes on the day Hertfordshire County Council rejected a bid to divest millions from companies linked to Israel and in advance of a BDS vote by Wirral council promoted by expelled Labour councillor Jo Bird.

Changes to the Pensions Service Pensions and Judicial Offices Bill will give the Local Government Secretary new powers to direct Local Government Pension Funds not to make decisions that conflict with government foreign and defence policy.

It comes after the Supreme Court, in May, 2020, overruled a previous attempt by the government to curb BDS in Britain at the end of a four-year legal battle bought by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

FULL STORY Government takes first historic step to ban BDS in Britain (Jewish Chronicle)

Photo: Crowd of protesters outside Downing Street during a pro-Palestinian demonstration, May 2021 (Vuk Valcic/SOPA Images/Sipa USA)