Ethical banking challenge to Sheffield Council over potential links to Israel and arms firms
Palestine campaigners have challenged Sheffield City Council over its ethical banking and business policies because of potential links to Israel and arms companies.
Public questions that had been posed in writing beforehand were answered at the council’s finance and performance policy committee on Tuesday (May 6).
Peter Jones stated that his questions were “in the context of Israel’s continuing genocidal assault on the Palestinian people of Gaza and the West Bank”.
He asked: “How is the committee ensuring full compliance with the International Criminal Court Act 2001 as regards all its financial business?”
The response from committee chair Coun Zahira Naz was: “The ICCA only covers international criminal court matters, such as genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression.
“It doesn’t directly cover financial business or specific business contracts.”
Procurement
The second question was: “Does the committee consider Barclays to be an ethical provider of financial services given their record of financial dealings with Israel and arms companies?”
The answer: “We have established a cross-party working group to assist and help shape the council’s ethical procurement policy, and a full report will come back to this committee in the summer.
“As committee chair, and working closely with colleagues across the committee, we have been working hard to ensure that all relevant ethical considerations will be part of any new policy.
“This will help to establish clearer answers to the specific question you have raised. I am hopeful that this will be delivered at this committee’s next meeting in June.”
Third question: “Which stakeholders will Sheffield City Council consult with regarding updating its ethical procurement policy?”
Answer: “In respect of the ethical procurement policy, the council is consulting with a range of groups, private businesses and organisations across the VCFSE sector including Sheffield Social Enterprise Network (SSEN) and the Diverse Business Board.” VCFSE stands for voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise.
Mr Jones was ill, so Julie Pearn spoke on his behalf, saying: “The ICCA is domestic law and covers all ways in which the UK, its institutions and citizens may be complicit directly or as accessories in genocide anywhere in the world.
“This includes investment, trade or investment dealings with the Israeli state or with companies or organisations aiding or abetting Israeli war crimes in Gaza or the West Bank.”