Monday, June 19, 2023

UK
Tory Michael Gove to ban councils from boycotting Israeli goods

Edward Malnick
Sat, June 17, 2023

Michael Gove

Michael Gove has warned that boycotts of Israeli goods lead to “appalling anti-Semitic rhetoric and abuse”, as he prepared to unveil legislation preventing councils from conducting their own “foreign policy”.

On Monday, the Communities Secretary will introduce a Bill banning all public bodies from imposing their own boycott or divestment campaigns on foreign countries and territories.

The legislation was promised in the Conservatives’ 2019 manifesto following a series of local council motions backing the BDS (boycott, divestment and sanction) movement in public procurement contracts or pension schemes.

The BDS movement calls for public and private sector bodies to take action against Israel in support of Palestine and has led to many boycotts of Israeli companies around the world.
‘Simply wrong’

Mr Gove, the Cabinet minister responsible for local government, told The Telegraph: “It is simply wrong that public bodies have been wasting taxpayers’ time and money pursuing their own foreign policy agenda.

“The UK must have a consistent approach to foreign policy, set by UK Government.

“These campaigns not only undermine the UK’s foreign policy but lead to appalling anti-Semitic rhetoric and abuse. That is why we have taken this decisive action to stop these disruptive policies once and for all.

“My message to these organisations is to get on with your job and focus on delivering for the public.”

Under the legislation, ministers will be able to conduct investigations into suspected breaches of the ban.

Public bodies that break the new rules will face “significant” fines, said Mr Gove’s department.

Before 2019, Leicester City Council, Swansea City Council and Gwynedd Council all passed motions to boycott produce from “illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank, until such time as Israel complies with international law and withdraws from Palestinian-occupied territories”.

Split with Labour

Tory sources believe the legislation – the Economic Activity of Public Bodies Bill – may open up a split with Labour over the issue of councils being free to impose such boycotts.


In an interim report published by Labour’s National Policy Forum in 2020, with a foreword by Sir Keir Starmer, the party’s shadow Foreign Office team “publicly stated that annexation is profoundly wrong ... and called for a ban [on] goods from the illegal settlements in the West Bank”.


Jeremy Corbyn, Sir Keir’s predecessor as Labour leader, publicly supported targeted action against settlements in the West Bank and has described banning BDS by councils as an “attack on local democracy”.

A government source said: “Will Labour vote to end the politics of division and back our new laws? Or is Starmer too weak to take on the hard Left of his party?”

The Levelling Up and Communities Department said that the legislation would stop Israeli businesses being targeted by public sector boycotts that risk “community tensions and a rise in anti-Semitism”.

The legislation will not affect sanctions imposed by the UK Government, such as those on Russia and Belarus, said officials.

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