Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) has condemned the government’s announcement that it intends to ban local authorities in England from pursuing procurement policies that boycott companies on ethical grounds.
Under the proposal, formally announced today by Cabinet Office Minister Matthew Hancock, all publicly funded institutions will lose the right to boycott goods and services on ethical grounds.
Andrew Smith of Campaign Against Arms Trade said:
This move is entirely hypocritical. The UK government is always stressing the importance of localism and accountability; but this is a direct attack on local democracy and decision making.
The plan was first trailed in a Conservative Party press release put out last October on the opening day of the Conservative Party conference. Under the ridiculous sub-heading Dangerous Consequences of Hard Left policies, we were told that The campaign against British defence companies risk harming Britain’s export trade.
In other words, central government believes that arms company profits are more important than local democracy.
Andrew continued:
Public money should be used for the public good, not to support destructive industries like the arms trade or to profit from war. At the moment the focus may be on Israel, but if these changes go ahead it will impact the rights of all local people and campaign groups across England.
The government is also holding a consultation that could ban local authorities in England and Wales from pursuing ethical investment policies.
ENDS
For further information please contact Andrew at media(at)caat·org·uk or call 020 7281 0297 or 07990 673232.
