Revealed: How Palestine Action was banned
JVL Introduction
John McEvoy’s exposure of the decision to proscribe Palestine Action makes riveting reading.
It is the first time in British history that a direct-action group has been branded a terrorist organisation.
The government’s Proscription Review Group (PRG) apparently conceded in March 2025 that a ban on Palestine Action would be “novel and unprecedented”.
Even the Foreign Office was dubious in March saying that proscription at this time risked being “received poorly both domestically and abroad by our partners where it could be perceived as pro-Israel bias after the resumption of their military operations”.
Indeed.
So why on earth did they go ahead?
RK
This article was originally published by Declassified UK on Thu 24 Jul 2025. Read the original here.
Revealed: How Palestine Action was banned
Exclusive: Documents seen by Declassified reveal serious concerns within the UK government and MI5 about proscribing Palestine Action.
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Brilliant article. Thank you.
Thamks for posting this – it’s very useful – especially a reminder about the information about Trump’s golf course and his response to it.
Je suis Palestine Action..!
The government are going to be very embarrassed when the Palestine Action appeal against proscription goes to Judicial Review. The whole nature of their acting on behalf of fossil fuel corporations and the genocidal tribe that is Israel will be all aired in public, throwing a light on the treacherous behaviour of the government against its own people by threatening them with up to 14 years in prison for opposing genocide.
Here’s what the records reveal about who lobbied for the UK government to proscribe Palestine Action:
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Key Actors Pressuring for the Ban
1. Teledyne and Lord Richard Dannatt
• Lord Richard Dannatt, a former head of the British Army and member of the House of Lords, actively lobbied government ministers on behalf of Teledyne, a U.S. defence contractor. After significant damage by Palestine Action at Teledyne’s Welsh facility, he urged a stronger crackdown on the group, writing to Home Office officials and ministers including Suella Braverman and Dan Jarvis .
2. “We Believe in Israel” Lobby Group
• This lobby group, founded by BICOM and previously led by MP Luke Akehurst, released reports urging that Palestine Action be proscribed. One report referenced a supposed classified Metropolitan Police briefing alleging counter-terrorism investigations into the group, although the Met denied any such briefing occurred .
3. John Woodcock, Baron Walney
• As the independent government adviser on political violence, Lord Walney (formerly MP John Woodcock) recommended banning groups like Palestine Action and Just Stop Oil, introducing the concept of a “proscription light” for protest groups engaged in repeated criminality .
Chair (formerly) of the Purpose Business Coalition, under Crowne Associates – a consultancy group working on ESG (environmental, social, and governance) matters. Clients include the oil company BP and the arms manufacturer Leonardo.  
• Senior Adviser to Rud Pedersen Group, a lobbying firm…
[cut to our limit of 300 words – admin]