Arms manufacturers and fossil fuel companies will no longer be able to advertise on council-owned assets or offer sponsorships for events or partnerships in Scotland’s capital city. This means that relationships with arms companies will be prohibited as well as new contracts promoting ‘high carbon’ products.
The call originally came from Scottish Greens Councillor Ben Parker who said: “it is unthinkable that the council should enter into contracts with arms companies whose weapons – which in some cases are manufactured here in the city – are being used in the horrific and relentless bombardment of Palestine, at the same time as the Council has publicly called for a ceasefire. Today we have taken a clear step to say:
“we don’t need their money, we don’t want their money, and we don’t think it’s right for the Council to legitimise the practices of organisations whose business is to profit from war.”
Currently, the policy will apply to property and assets used or contracted out by the Council, for example, bus stops across the city, but will not apply to arms-length organisations such as Lothian buses or the Edinburgh International Conference Centre. All arms-length companies will be asked to follow this policy voluntarily, it is understood that Edinburgh Trams has already undertaken to comply with the policy, calling the continuation of the controversial tram advertising arms company Leonardo into question.
The full paper can be found via this link and a recording of the committee can be seen here.
