A number of constituents have contacted me regarding boycotts by public institutions.
The Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill will stop public bodies pursuing their own foreign policy agenda, including with public money, through divisive boycotts, divestment and sanctions campaigns.
The United Kingdom must speak with one voice internationally, and public bodies running their own foreign policies risks undermining our foreign diplomacy. Local level boycotts can pit communities against one another and damage community cohesion. In particular, in the case of boycotts against businesses and organisations affiliated with Israel, there has been a horrific rise in antisemitic rhetoric and abuse which must be stamped out. It is also not right for local authorities and public bodies to waste time and resources when they have key responsibilities to prioritise.
The Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill will not restrict individuals’ right to freedom of speech. Nor will it apply to private organisations, except if they are exercising public functions. The Bill will extend to public institutions (as defined in the Human Rights Act 1998) only. To quote the Secretary of State, Michael Gove, the Bill does not prevent any individual from articulating their support for the Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign, or indeed any particular policy that the BDS campaign puts forward. It simply prevents public bodies and public money being used to advance that case.
The UK has a well-established sanctions policy which remains in place. Ministers have been clear that organisations with links to Russia and Belarus will still be prevented from benefitting from taxpayers’ money with councils able to terminate existing contracts with those linked to Putin’s war machine.
The Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill includes powers to exclude a particular country or territory from the ban on boycotts. This would be enacted through secondary legislation. I understand that the Government intends to use these powers to exempt Russia and Belarus from the ban. Ministers have clarified that the purpose of Clause 3(7) of the Bill is simply to ensure that, given that the BDS campaign has focused on Israel specifically, primary legislation would be required in order for Israel to be exempted from the Economic Activity of Public Bodies Bill. The Bill is not intended to legislate for the UK’s foreign policy on Israel or on any other country. Indeed, the Minister for Housing and Homelessness, Felicity Buchan, has stated that the Bill "will not prevent the UK Government from imposing sanctions, or otherwise changing our foreign policy on any country in future." I hope this provides you with some assurance.
Due to a diary commitments, I am unable to attend the briefing event on 10 January, but I will continue to carefully follow this Bill as it continues its progress through Parliament.