What can the council do about Gaza - Blog 25

Joe Salmon, 04 May 2024, Tags:

There has been a lot of fuss on social media and in the Echo about the protests that took place at the Council meeting on 23 April, especially about the protest against Israel’s war in Gaza. Many councillors were very upset by this, but I think for a number of different reasons. Some appear to have been upset that they had to listen to opinions they didn’t like from people they don’t like and, just as they have done previously, have subsequently called for more restrictive measures and more police. This isn’t a position I share - frankly, given the chronic shortage of police officers that is our lived reality in 2024, if you think we should prioritise policing the town hall car park over our town centres or responding to actual crimes, I think you need your head examined. To take an awful example, we have a big problem with knife crime locally; surely this should be the priority for the police:

https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/23269648.tom-roberts-trial-man-found-guilty-bournemouth-murder/

https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/24233981.teen-sentenced-stabbing-cameron-hamilton-bournemouth/

https://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/24016164.boscombe-body-parts-murder-probe-victim-inquest-opens/

https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/24285130.screaming-heard-woman-stabbed-west-howe-home/

Other councillors though, like me, were upset by the reality that much of what was said at that meeting by people who have lost friends and family in the conflict was correct: we are not doing enough as a council to prevent the tragedy that is taking place right now. We can look to the past as a guide - the campaign of Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions carried out by people in the UK, including local councils, helped bring about the end of apartheid in South Africa.

So far we are failing to take similar action in BCP. In fact we have even failed to divest from fossil fuels yet, despite declaring a Climate Emergency almost five years ago. Scrutiny of Dorset Pension Fund investments is long overdue, and actual action is even further from being a reality.

There are two things this council can and should do as a priority. The first is to write to the relevant government ministers asking that they stop the supply of arms to Israel from the UK, and cease economically supporting the occupation of the illegally occupied territory seized by Israel.

Secondly, we should divest the pension fund from companies that operate from any countries actively engaged in human rights abuses - including but not limited to Israel.

As such the Green Group has submitted a request for this issue to be added to the work programme of the Overview & Scrutiny Board and to appear on the next available agenda.

I’ve also emailed the BCP councillors who sit on the board of the Dorset Pension Fund, stressing the need for them to get to grips with where our money currently is, and to consider taking it out of any investment schemes where this is unclear.

Aside from this, as individuals we should all be putting pressure on the government to come clean about UK involvement in Israel’s war:

https://www.airforce-technology.com/news/uk-military-aircraft-have-provided-surveillance-support-to-israel/

https://www.declassifieduk.org/u-k-is-training-israeli-military-in-britain/

By taking these steps we can continue with our business as councillors with cleaner consciences.

If you are a resident of BCP, please contact your local ward councillors and ask them to support the Green Group in getting this work done - you can find your councillors here: https://www.writetothem.com/

DETAILS OF REQUEST TO O&S Board

Issue requested for scrutiny

The status of the council's pension fund investments, particularly regarding holdings in fossil fuels, the arms trade, and trade with nations that have broken or are suspected of breaking international law, for example Russia and Israel.

Desired outcome resulting from Overview and Scrutiny engagement, including the value to be added to the Council, the BCP area or its inhabitants.

Establish the current composition of the council's pension fund investments and clarify the nature of those organisations in which it is invested.

Background to the issue

There has been a total absence of transparency recently regarding the pension fund, and the council's representatives on the pension fund have failed to act on the instruction to divest from fossil fuels. There have been no updates on the pension fund for more than 12 months.

Proposed method of scrutiny - (for example, a committee report or a working group investigation)

Committee report

Key dates and anticipated timescale for the scrutiny work

Given the lack of movement on this issue over the last year, it is requested that this is given some priority. To be added to the work programme at the next Board meeting on 13 May, and the committee report brought to the next meeting on 10 June.