BDS – The British Government ignores International Law – again!
JVL Introduction
The government is pushing ahead with its proposals to outlaw Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel under the proposed Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill,. Amnesty (as reported here in Labour Hub ) and others argue that proposals go against Human Rights conventions and agreements that Britain has signed up to. You can read the full legal opinion from Richard Hermer at Matrix Law here, the concluding paragraph is as follows:
“This Opinion merely seeks to highlight some of the concerns arising out of the Bill as currently drafted rather than provide a ‘line by line’ analysis. What can be said with a high degree of certainty is that many of the key provisions of this very poorly drafted Bill are deeply troubling from both a domestic and international law perspective. The implications for local democracy, for the proud history in our regions of campaigning for global human rights, for using our economic clout for the promotion of human rights, for free speech in this country and for compliance with our international law obligations are potentially profound.”
Labour is proposing an amendment, which they expect to fall but are then whipping their MPs to abstain rather than vote against! So far only John McDonnell has announced that he will vote against the Bill.
LL
This article was originally published by Jewish News on Mon 3 Jul 2023. Read the original here.
Top lawyer warns Gove’s BDS bill has ‘profoundly detrimental impact’ on UK human rights stance
Richard Hermer KC, of Matrix Chambers, concludes the government’s bill is ‘appallingly badly drafted’ and ‘effectively equates the OPT (occupied Palestinian territories) with Israel itself’
Loading article text…
This legislation can possibly be stopped if we contact Starmer and our MPs. There is reportedly considerable opposition amongst Conservative MPs, as you point out.
All very worrying and have not heard Goves BDS bill being discussed by the mainstream media.We desperately need an early general election in the hope the country can be saved from this type of destruction by I hope a change of government.
Israel: the world’s ‘sacred cow’. Licensed by the US, the UK in particular but endorsed (through fear of US displeasure) by just about everyone else to do whatever it likes. And yes, including by the once decent Labour party.
The utterly pusillanimous stance of the Labour Party, their opposition to BDS and any other effective measures to support the Palestinians in their struggle against colonial oppression, should be strongly challenged by all those on the left politically. This is a flagrant attempt to neuter all opposition to what is now designated an apartheid state. Labour MP’s should hang their heads in shame. But they now have none.
Labour MPs will abstain from voting on the Ant-Boycott bill. At least they are consistent because the Party under Starmer’s leadership has abstained from defending the human rights of Palestinians since April 2020.