Following campaign led by pro-Palestine groups, councillors agree Newham Council’s pension fund “must not be used to fund the machinery of war or genocide”, reports Nick Clark, Local Democracy Reporter

The Newham Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) protest outside Newham Town Hall (credit Ben Moss) — The Newham Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) protest outside Newham Town Hall (credit Ben Moss via Newham PSC)

An investigation into whether Newham Council workers’ pensions are invested in companies “complicit” in Israel’s occupation of Palestine has been approved by councillors.

Councillors voted unanimously to launch an audit of the authority’s pension fund investments and to declare its intent to divest from companies “complicit in human rights abuses, war crimes or illegal settlements”.

Their resolution said: “Council administered pension funds must not be used to fund the machinery of war, genocide, or military occupation.”

The councillors’ vote yesterday (Monday 13th) comes amid a long campaign by Newham Palestine Solidarity Campaign calling on the authority to withdraw pension fund investments from “companies involved in the genocide of the Palestinian people”.

Campaigners protested outside Newham Town Hall, in East Ham, where the vote took place.

Opposition councillors from the Newham Independents and Green Party groups proposed that the council carry out an audit of its pension fund investments.

They said the audit’s “specific focus” should be to identify “holdings in arms companies” and “companies complicit in violations of international law in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as defined by the United Nations Human Rights Office”.

Labour councillor John Gray said he supported the motion. However, he wanted to add that the council should only divest if “no harm is made to existing and future council pensioners and their families’ pensions”.

However, Green councillor Ibrahim Alom said council staff “deserve the confidence that their money reflects the values they themselves uphold”.

He said: “The pensions of Newham workers should not be used to fund the machinery of war, genocide and military occupation.”

Cllr Gray’s amendment was rejected, with the Newham Independents and Greens voting against and Labour in favour. The meeting then voted unanimously to pass the unaltered proposal.

Earlier in the meeting, Labour mayor Forhad Hussain said he would “raise the Palestinian flag” and invite the Palestinian ambassador to the borough.

Without naming Israel, he also said: “There must be an end to the genocide in Gaza.”

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