PSC defeats government attempts to outlaw boycott, divestment and sanctions

The Government has acted unlawfully by attempting to restrict local councils from pursuing boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) against the state of Israel through their pension schemes.

Palestine campaigners hailed the triumph the ruling represented for the BDS movement, stating “Today is a victory for Palestine, for local democracy, and for the rule of law.”

Administrative Court judge Sir Ross Cranston granted the judicial review on 22 June, determining that the Government had acted for an improper purpose.

The Palestine Solidarity Campaign has won a key victory for the peaceful Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against the UK government today. War on Want, Campaign Against Arms Trade and the Quakers supported the legal challenge with witness statements.

What this means for Pension Funds,

We have argued that the Department for Communities and Local Government were wrong in September 2016 specifically to curtail divestment campaigns against Israeli and international firms implicated in Israel’s violations of international law.  Now we have been proven right.

Kev Allsop, Unison Delegate to the Greater Manchester Pension Fund

Posted by Kev on June 26th, 2017 in National News