Cumberland Council has set the wheels in motion to withdraw its investments in companies that either supply arms to Israel or support settlements in the Palestinian territories.
It follows a meeting at the end of last month by the Cumberland Labour Group and November’s statement given by Cllr Lisa Hinton (Currock, Labour), the adult social care portfolio holder, at the meeting of the full council.
Decision taken due to the ‘disproportionate aggression’ by Israel
Council leader Mark Fryer (St Johns and Great Clifton, Labour) said the decision had been taken given the continuing ‘disproportionate aggression’ by the current Israeli government against the people of Gaza and the continuing violations of human rights in the West Bank, on humanitarian grounds.
On Wednesday (August 5), Cllr Fryer wrote to Andrew Seekings, the council’s chief executive, requesting the move. The policy position will apply to direct Cumberland Council investments, with a further request to Cumberland representatives on the Cumbria Local Government Pension Scheme Committee that they also consider adopting this position.
According to the pension fund’s unaudited annual accounts 2024/2025, the net assets stood at more than £3.4billion and the total membership was 67,223 compared with 65,570 for 2023/2024.
Cllr Fryer wrote to Keir Starmer as well
It follows Cllr Fryer’s letter to Prime Minister Keir Starmer last month, in relation to the ‘ongoing atrocities being committed against the people of Gaza’, which also acknowledged the sickening attacks committed by Hamas on October 7, 2023, and stated that the remaining hostages should be immediately and unconditionally released.
Cllr Fryer said:
But that the ongoing suffering of the civilian population in Gaza, not only from mass starvation due to restrictions on aid, but also from direct and sustained military attacks, was now beyond any definition of the Israel Government’s right to defend its country and that it is now genocide being committed on our watch.
It further called for the Government to take any action necessary to secure an immediate lifting of aid restrictions; for protection and support for relief agencies to do their vital humanitarian work; and for all parties to be encouraged to agree an urgent ceasefire and to meaningfully engage in talks to secure a permanent negotiated peace.
He added that, while proud of the steps the UK Government had already taken in suspending many arms export licences to Israel, the following urgent steps would now be welcomed:
- suspension of the remaining 300 or so export licences;
- the strictest sanctions against members of the Israeli Government who facilitate the denial of essential humanitarian aid to the civilian population of Gaza;
- and legal recognition of the state of Palestine.
Council opposition leaders prefer concentrating on local issues only
However, Cllr Mike Johnson (Thursby, Conservative), the leader of both the opposition and the council’s Conservative group, said that
Perhaps, instead of trying to be Foreign Secretary, Cllr Fryer would be wise to concentrate on the significant issues affecting his own council – such as the harsh financial pressures it currently faces.
He added:
Companies that the council would be boycotting would include, for example, BAE, JCB, Google and Airbnb.
And every single penny of lost investment income from these companies into the pension fund will have to be made up by council taxpayers.
Cllr Roger Dobson (Corby and Hayton, Lib Dems) said:
The Liberal Democrats share the council leader’s deep concern over the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
We fully support applying all legitimate pressure on the Netanyahu government to enable the delivery of vital humanitarian aid and to agree to an immediate ceasefire.
We look forward to the opportunity we will have to scrutinise the policy on a cross-party basis.
The Green Party welcomes the move
Cllr Helen Tucker (Cockermouth North, Green Party) said:
Cumberland Green councillors welcome the news that the leader of the council has written to the chief executive to request divesting from those companies that supply arms to Israel.
While this letter has not been shared with members, we believe it also asks Cumberland representatives on the Cumbria Local Government Pension Scheme Committee to also adopt this position.“Israel can only carry out its devastating attacks on Palestinians because of the support provided by corporations and financial institutions.
The UK, as a state party to the Genocide Convention, has a legal responsibility to take action to deter and prevent further genocidal acts being committed against Palestinians.
We call upon the UK government to follow the courageous stand of Cumberland Council, to step up its actions, including suspending all arms export licenses to Israel, and full co-operation with the actions of the international courts.
Palestine Solidarity Group spokesperson called it great news
Fiona Goldie, of Palestine Solidarity Group Carlisle and District, said it was great news that the council had taken the decision and spoke in Keswick at the weekend about the group’s actions across the county.
Ms Goldie highlighted how consumers can make a difference by refusing to purchase Israeli goods and that their current campaign calls for Cumbria’s unitary councils to pull their investments from “Israel’s military might”.
She added:
Cumbria’s Local Government Pension Scheme invests heavily in Israeli warfare. Local council workers’ futures are financed by Palestinian blood.
Ms Goldie claimed that Cumbria’s pensions totalled more than £70million of investment in the mechanics which “prop up Israeli state violence and oppression”.
Speaking in Keswick at the weekend she said:
We have been asking Cumbria’s councils to divest from genocidal warfare and take a more ethical path.
Without funding investments, war offers no profit to corporations. Without finance, there is no weaponry. Without weaponry we can build a world of peace. And we can hold those who stood in the way of justice to account.
She said that Cumberland Council’s decision was “most welcome” and hoped this important announcement would also influence Westmorland & Furness Council into making the same decision.
She added:
Since the unitary split, the pension fund is managed by Westmorland & Furness, and while the Cumberland authority has representatives on the board, final decisions on pension scheme management are made in Kendal.
Given the scale of the horrors we are currently seeing on our screens daily, and the massive shift in public opinion towards ending starvation, genocide, occupation and complicity, we look forward to hearing a similar announcement from Jonathan Brook shortly, and confirmation of full pension scheme divestment from Doug Rathbone.
This is not a bargaining chip, this is a genocide
Last month Markus Campbell-Savours, the MP for Penrith and Solway, gave his view on the situation in Gaza and said that over the past year he had seen the growing outrage over the Israeli government’s actions towards Palestinians in Gaza. He added:
Many colleagues now share deep disappointment over the government’s tepid response.
He said it was difficult not to feel angry that the Prime Minister, the leader of his party, continues to equivocate on Palestinian statehood. He added:
This is not a bargaining chip in negotiations. This is not a trade deal. This is a genocide.
Our attempts at constructive diplomacy have failed. We’ve not even managed to get food to the starving. The Likud-led coalition, propped up by extremists, has shown a disregard for human life that will leave a lasting stain on Israel’s history.
Our government must act decisively. Broad sanctions – not symbolic gestures. A full suspension of military and intelligence support. A boycott of Israeli goods. An international coalition to control the flow of aid. And immediate recognition of Palestine as a sovereign state, as pledged in the Labour Party manifesto and promised to those who elected me.
A member of the public asked for divestment last year
At November’s meeting of the full council, Cllr Hinton responded to a question from a member of the public which asked the council to call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire and for the UK to end its arms trade with Israel.
She described the death and destruction in Gaza as “appalling and intolerable” and that the council supported the Labour Party’s call for an immediate ceasefire observed by both sides, also for the release of hostages, the upholding of international law and the unimpeded distribution of aid within Gaza.
Cllr Hinton said:
This council fully supports any and all actions that prevent the sale of arms that are used to violate international humanitarian law.
In a supplementary question, the member of the public called for the immediate divestment of any funds administered by the as well as from companies complicit in Israel’s attacks on Palestinians, such as arms companies supplying Israel with weapons and military technology.
In response Cllr Hinton said:
If the council were to decide that it wanted to support a position requesting that the pension fund divest from any particular investment sector then it could formally write, in its capacity as an employer within the pension Fund, to the Cumbria Pensions Committee asking for consideration to be given to this.
UK may recognise a Palestinian State
Sir Keir Starmer has said the UK will recognise a Palestinian state in September unless Israel agrees to meet certain conditions, including addressing the humanitarian crisis, implementing a ceasefire and reviving the prospect of a two-state solution.
But he insisted the move was not a propaganda boost to Hamas, saying the “terrorist organisation” could play “no part in any future government”.
The Government had to do “everything we can” to get aid in, he said, working with other countries “and it’s in that context that I set out our position on recognition”.
An LDRS press release by Ian Duncan
