Labour Group call on Brent Council to consider a formal twinning arrangement with Nablus in the occupied West Bank

 Nablus (Copyright: istock Getty Images)

The Labour Group have tabled a motion for the Full Meeting of Brent Council to consider twinning with the city of Nablus in the Israeli Occupied West Bank.

The meeting is on Monday 18th November at 6pm and the  motion is number 9 on a 19 item agenda so will probably be debated between 7pm and 8pm. You can watch live HERE or attend in-person at Brent Civic Centre.

The Motion:

Brent Twinning with Nablus

 

This Council notes:

 

That Brent currently has a single twinning relationship, that with South Dublin, established in 1997, at a time when Brent had the largest Irish-born population in mainland Britain.

 

That Brent currently has the second highest Arab diaspora in England and Wales, within which there is a significant number of residents of Palestinian heritage.

 

That like Brent, Nablus in Palestine – as one of the oldest cities in the world – has a long and rich history of culture, diversity and dynamism, ranging from historical architecture, a lively economy and a youthful population.

 

That Brent has a long history of internationalism, including conferring on Nelson Mandela the Freedom of the Borough.

 

That a growing number of community and charitable organisations, including Brent Trades Union Council, Brent NEU and Brent Friends of Palestine have developed productive relations with Palestinian organisations and diaspora, further strengthening bonds to the city of Nablus.

 

That through the joint work of Brent Trades Union Council, Brent NEU and of Brent and Harrow PSC, CADFA and the Palestinian Forum in Britain, opportunities have been provided to young Palestinians to meet Brent young people, Councillors and MPs, and share and develop a bond over their experiences in education, sports and culture. Opportunities for visits to Palestine by young Brent residents are being planned.

 

That the establishment of the “Brent-Nablus Twinning Project” organisation provides an opportunity for Brent to explore the potential of a formal twinning arrangement with Nablus through community engagement.

That community organisations and official representatives in Nablus have shown a desire to develop a more formal arrangement of partnership with Brent and have communicated this desire with their partners in Brent, leading to this proposal.

 

This Council believes:

 

Twinning enhances bonds and improves relations between communities, creating friendships through what we have in common, as well as learning from other cultures, traditions and experiences.

 

Twinning allows avenues for growth through togetherness, improving understanding and ability to tackle issues through collaboration, knowledge and skill shares.

 

A successful twinning relationship would promote initiatives like educational collaborations, sports programmes, and heritage preservation workshops, creating long-term connections between residents and institutions and engages with local communities, cultural organisations, and leaders in both twinned regions to support the establishment of the partnership.

 

This Council resolves to:

 

Consider a formal twinning agreement between Brent and the city of Nablus, which sits under the governance of the Palestinian National Authority, and receive a report considering the proposal at a future council meeting.

 

Explore immediate steps to foster connections, such as cultural exchange programmes, student and school collaborations, and shared community projects, to create a foundation for future growth.

 

Engage with the “Brent-Nablus Twinning Project” organisation to develop a framework for the potential twinning, whilst engaging with local communities, cultural organisations and leaders in both Brent and Nablus to support theestablishment of this partnership.

 

Councillor Ihtesham Afzal

Wembley Hill Ward

Barry Gardiner challenge to Government on Gaza: Show that you respect international rules-based order

There was a debate in Westminster Hall yesterday on Gaza and Humanitarian Aid instigated by one of the new Independent MPs,  Ayoub Khan (Birmingham Perry Barr), elected in the wake of the Gaza conflict.

Westminster Hall debates do not make policy but give MPs a chance to register their concerns.

This is Barry Gardiner's contribution from They Work for You

As politicians, we talk of the international rules-based system, by which we mean the World Trade Organisation and the United Nations, but often we do so only when it suits our position. When it does not, we ignore it. That is why it is crucial that we grasp the legal implications of the decision promulgated on 19 July this year by the International Court of Justice. It settled the law in its advisory opinion on the legality of Israel’s continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territory. The opinion came from a request by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2022, and I believe it carries immense weight. It is the interpretation of our world’s highest court of law as it relates to the occupation of Palestine.

The court ruled that the occupied Palestinian territory is to be considered a single territorial unit, which means that the failure to recognise Palestine as a state is now out of step with international law. On 10 September, Palestine took its seat at the 79th session of the General Assembly of the United Nations. It is not yet a full member, because it has been blocked by the United States, but it has the right to submit proposals and amendments. The Government of the UK still does not recognise the Palestinian state, and I believe that that is now incompatible with international law.

The court ruled that settlements and outposts in the west bank and East Jerusalem were unlawful. It does not matter that Israeli law considers settlements to be lawful; they are not, and they should be evacuated. The court ruled that Israel’s exploitation of natural resources in settled land was also unlawful. The court ruled that Israel occupied Gaza. It ruled that it occupied the west bank and East Jerusalem. It ruled that that occupation was unlawful. It ruled that the occupation must be brought to an end.

That also means that, in its actions, Israel must behave not as a warring nation state against another warring state, but as an occupying force, with all the obligations that entails about its conduct, including ensuring that aid can get through to all who need it. Israel ought to cease its unlawful activities, halt all new settlement activity and provide full reparation for the damage caused by its wrongful acts, which includes returning land, property and assets seized since the occupation began in 1967 and allowing displaced Palestinians to return to their original places of residence.

The court made it clear that other states also have obligations. It emphasised that all states are required not to recognise the illegal situation created by Israel’s actions in the occupied territories. That means that they should not engage in trade, investment or diplomatic relations that would entrench Israel’s unlawful presence. The advisory opinion is a landmark in the legal and political struggle over the fate of the Palestinian people and the integrity of international law. It highlights the obligations of all states, including the United Kingdom, to ensure that the rule of law prevails. We are all duty bound not only to act in the interests of justice and human rights, but to uphold the very principles of international law. That is the law. It is clear. It has been authoritatively stated by the court. What is not clear is whether Governments will abide by it. The law can state, the court can rule, but none of it brings about anything unless the power of enforcement lies behind it.

In the UK we are very fond of saying that we respect the international court and the international rules-based order. My challenge to the Minister is this: show it.

 

 

Brent Council urged to divest for Palestine as 2,000 signature petition presented

Supporters of the petition gathered outside Brent Civic Centre were joined by some councillors

 The presentation and response

Supporters of the campaign to 'Divest for Palestine' gathered outside Brent Civic Centre yesterday afternoon ahead of the presentation of a 2,000 petition calling on the Council to divest its local government pension fund from any companies deemed complicit in the current attacks on the Palestinian people, Israel's illegal occupation and the apartheid system.

They were joined by a number of Labour councillors and a small pro-Israel Government counter demonstration was joined by Cllr Michael Maurice.

Apart from a battle of loudspeakers the demonstrations were peaceful. 

There was some heckling by the pro-Israel supporters when the petition was presented and more serious disruption when people began to leave after the presentation.

In her response to the Brent and Harrow Palestine Solidarity Campaign petition,  Cllr Mili Patel siad the Council did not 'activelyinvest directly' in UN considered occupied territories nor does it 'actively invest directly' in arms companies.

She has asked the Council's Chief Finance Officer to conduct a full audit of all the Council's allocations in line with the UN's principles for responsible investment.

The phrase 'actively invest directly' recognises that that may be indirect investment via fund managers or the London Collective Investment vehicle.  The need to trace those investments was encapsulated in the similar Camden campaign with their slogan 'Disclose, Divest'.

The response did not include a commitment from Brent Council to work with other London councils in putting pressure on the London CIV.

When the Palestine Solidarity Campaign asked Brent Council recently to list its investment they responded that they were unable to do so.

They did supply details when PSC made a similar request in 2020. These were the top five of their complicit investments at the time and a check on whether they still have such investments would be a starting point:

HSBC £4,663,056

HSBC invests over £830million in, and provides financial services worth up to £19billion for, companies arming Israel. These investments include up to £100million worth of shares in the company Caterpillar, who supply the Israeli army with bulldozers which are weaponised and used to demolish Palestinian communities, build Israel’s illegal settlements and apartheid infrastructure including the apartheid wall and military checkpoints. For more info: https://www.palestinecampaign.org/campaigns/stop-arming-israel/

Barclays £1,252,342

Barclays is a British multinational bank and financial services company. Barclays hold approximately £1,167.6 million of investments in companies that are known to supply the Israeli military. This includes Babcock, BAE and Boeing, Cobham and Rolls Royce. More information available in War on Want’s 2017 ‘Deadly Investments’ report.

BAE Systems  £970,233

According to CAAT, “BAE Systems is the world’s fourth largest arms producer. Its portfolio includes fighter aircraft, warships, tanks, armoured vehicles, artillery, missiles and small arms ammunition. It has military customers in over 100 countries. BAE has a workshare agreement with Lockheed Martin producing the US F-35 stealth combat aircraft. Israel, for example, took delivery of its first F-35 in 2016. According to Investigate, a project by the American Friends Service Committee, BAE has worked in cooperation with Lockheed Martin and Rafael to produce and market the naval Protector drone used to maintain the siege of Gaza along the Mediterranean coast.

Smiths Group £316,811

According to CAAT “Smiths Group is a global technology company with five divisions: John Crane, Smiths Medical, Smiths Detection, Smiths Interconnect and Flex-Tek. Smiths Connectors is part of Smiths Interconnect and comprises Hypertac, IDI and Sabritec brands. Products include connectors used in fighting vehicles, unmanned vehicles and avionics systems.” They have applied for a number of military export licences to Israel.

Rolls Royce £294,535

Rolls-Royce is a British manufacturer that produces military aircraft engines, naval engines and cores for nuclear submarines. Despite arms comprising only 26% of its total sales, it is still the world’s 17th largest Arms trade. In 2014, the year of Israel’s arial bombardment and ground invasion of Gaza, which killed over 2,200 civilians, nearly a quarter of them children, Rolls-Royce was granted export licenses for engines for military aircrafts to Israel.

 

MEETING: In Gaza a 'live-streamed genocide' is ongoing: what are we doing? Tuesday 24th September. RALLY: Divest from Palestine Rally at Brent Civic Centre Thursday September 19th 5pm

 

Exploring what is happening in Gaza, the role of the UK government & media, and how the UK public is responding to 'live-streamed genocide'. Organised by Kensal and Kilburn Better 2023

St Lukes West Kilburn,  Fernhead Road London W9 3EH

Tuesday, September 24 · 7 - 8:30pm

 

 TICKETS

 

 SPEAKERS

Ahmed Alnaouq, Palestinian journalist based in London. Co-founder of We Are Not Numbers

Matt Kennard, Co-founder/Investigations at Declassified UK. Author, latest book, The Racket

Sheila Gudhadasan, Chair of Brent and Harrow Palestine Solidarity Campaign

Layla Carmey, Expert in international law

 

Israel is on trial at the International Court of Justice for the crime of genocide in Gaza.

This is the first time in history that people have been able to see daily atrocities, supported by Western democracies, in near real time.

This event will explore what is happening in Gaza, the role of the UK government and media and how the British public is responding to 'live-streamed genocide'.

EDITOR'S NOTE

 

📢 BRENT COUNCIL RALLY -  DIVEST FOR PALESTINE
🗓️Thurs 19th Sept
🕔 5pm Rally | 6pm Council Meeting
📍Outside Brent Civic Centre, Wembley Park, HA9 0FJ
Join Brent & Harrow PSC as we present our petition calling on Brent Council to divest for Palestine.

Use this e-action to email your Brent councillors ahead of the meeting (2 mins):
https://palestinecampaign.eaction.online/councilloraction
 

On Thursday September 19th a petition will be presented to Brent Council calling for the Brent Local Government Pension Fund to divest for Palestine. The petiton reads:

We ask Brent Council to stand on the right side of history and join the growing number of councils and other public bodies and institutions divesting for Palestine.

We, the undersigned, call on Brent Council to:

1. Divest all funds administered by the Council, including Local Government Pension Scheme funds, from companies complicit in Israel’s genocide and apartheid against Palestinians. This includes arms companies supplying Israel with weapons and military technology; companies providing infrastructure for Israel’s unlawful military occupation of Palestinian land; and companies conducting business activity in Israel’s illegal settlements on stolen Palestinian land.
   
   
2. Use its influence as part of London Collective Investment Vehicle (CIV) to publicly lobby it to divest from companies enabling Israel's human rights abuses. 
   
   
3. Commit to end procurement contracts with companies complicit in Israel’s attacks. For example, end any banking arrangements with Barclays, which provides substantial financing to companies supplying Israel with weapons used in its attacks on Palestinians.

 

 

Campaigners launch petition to ask Brent Council to divest for Palestine

 Brent and Harrow Palestine Solidarity Campaign have launched a petition to ask Brent Council to divest from companies complicit in arming Israel or enabling illegal occupation.

The petition should be signed only by people who live, work or study in Brent.

 

THE PETITION

 

We ask Brent Council to stand on the right side of history and join the growing number of councils and other public bodies and institutions divesting for Palestine.

We, the undersigned, call on Brent Council to:

1. Divest all funds administered by the Council, including Local Government Pension Scheme funds, from companies complicit in Israel’s genocide and apartheid against Palestinians. This includes arms companies supplying Israel with weapons and military technology; companies providing infrastructure for Israel’s unlawful military occupation of Palestinian land; and companies conducting business activity in Israel’s illegal settlements on stolen Palestinian land.
2. Use its influence as part of London Collective Investment Vehicle (CIV) to publicly lobby it to divest from companies enabling Israel's human rights abuses. 
3. Commit to end procurement contracts with companies complicit in Israel’s attacks. For example, end any banking arrangements with Barclays, which provides substantial financing to companies supplying Israel with weapons used in its attacks on Palestinians.

 

Here's why:

 

Israel’s genocidal assault on Palestinians in the Gaza Strip has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians - almost half of them children. 90% of Gaza’s population has been displaced, many of whom multiple times. Nowhere in Gaza is safe: entire residential neighbourhoods have been levelled, UN schools sheltering the displaced, and hospitals treating the wounded, have been repeatedly targeted.  

 

Palestinians in Gaza are facing famine due to Israel's blockade and its targeting of life-sustaining infrastructure. In June 2024, UN experts declared that “Israel’s intentional and targeted starvation campaign against the Palestinian people is a form of genocidal violence and has resulted in famine across all of Gaza.”

 

We all have a responsibility to stand with Palestinians in the face of such catastrophic violence and do everything in our power to bring such suffering to an end.   

• In January 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the world court, handed down an interim ruling affirming there is plausible evidence Israel is committing genocidal acts against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. As a State Party to the Genocide Convention, the UK has a binding obligation to employ all means reasonably available to prevent and deter further genocidal acts.
• In June, UN experts issued a statement demanding that both states and companies stop all arms transfers to Israel. In issuing their call, they outlined that financial institutions, such as banks and pension funds, investing in arms companies supplying Israel must cease, writing that financial institutions “failure to prevent or mitigate their business relationships with these arms manufacturers transferring arms to Israel could move from being directly linked to human rights abuses to contributing to them, with repercussions for complicity in potential atrocity crimes.” The council must heed this call.
• In July, the ICJ confirmed that Israel's occupation of Palestinian land and treatment of Palestinians is illegal and amounts to systematic discrimination on racial and ethnic grounds - apartheid. It stated that countries and bodies - like UK councils - must not assist Israel in maintaining it. 

 

The recent defeat of the previous government’s draconian attempts to restrict the right of public bodies to take ethical investment and procurement decisions means that there is no barrier to Brent Council exercising its profound moral obligation not to contribute to Israel’s grave violations of Palestinian rights.

 

We are signing this petition as residents, workers and students in Brent. 

 

SIGN HERE

 

School students concerned that they are being silenced over the Middle East conflict

 Michaela School in Wembley has made an impact on some neighbouring Brent secondary schools which have taken up the 'strictest school' challenge.  There is currently a hot debate on the Next Door website about what constitutes bullying by adults, rather than strict discipline, at Wembley Technology College.

There is a new headteacher at Preston Manor High School whose approach is causing waves amongst students and parents. The current conflict in the Middle East has resulted in complaints that children are being disciplined over their support for the Palestinian cause.

One student said:

We see the bodies of children killed by Israel on the internet and want to speak out. The school is supposed to teach British Values. Isn't 'freedom of speech' supposed to be a British Value?  Isn't it our human right? We are being denied our freedom of speech.

Back in the 1970s and 80s teachers developed educational resources to address racism and sexism so that the issues could be discussed in a safe and open environment. A disciplinary approach with detention or exclusion punishments for views expressed was rejected as it tended to harden and polarise attitudes.

Controversial issues are tricky for teachers but surely it is an education establishment's job, whether school, college or university, to address the issue, rather than silence all discussion?

An article in the Guardian LINK  describes how students at a Luton 6th College are demanding lessons about the context of the conflict in Gaza.

The National Education Union has produced guidance for its members on the Israel/Gaza conflict LINK.

Meanwhile groups of school students across the country have been striking over Palestine and there is a rally at lunchtime today.

 

At the end of October the National Education Union issued a statement on the conflict:

Further to our statement on 14 October, the NEU is distressed and alarmed by the rising death toll of Palestinian civilians, particularly children, caused by Israel’s ongoing bombardment of Gaza. Half of Gaza’s two million population are children and 40 per cent of all those killed in Gaza since 7 October are children. 

According to Save the Children, child fatalities in the besieged enclave since this date have surpassed the annual number of children killed across the world's conflict zones since 2019.

We call on the UK Government and wider international community to work for an immediate ceasefire and ongoing peace settlement that secures the release of Israeli hostages, ends the bombardment of Gaza, and restores the flow of vital humanitarian aid, including food, fuel and medical supplies into Gaza.  

More than 1.4 million people in Gaza have been internally displaced, with some 671,000 sheltering in 150 UNRWA facilities. We decry the attacks on UNWRA schools and hospitals and reiterate the call from the World Health Organisation (WHO) for “all parties to the conflict to take all precautions to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure [including] health workers, patients, health facilities and ambulances, and civilians who are sheltering in these facilities.”

The NEU is committed to challenging racism in all its forms, and we will continue to speak out against the alarming rise in antisemitism and Islamophobia that we are witnessing in the UK and elsewhere. Attacks on, or harassment of, Jewish or Muslim people are abhorrent and inexcusable. Everyone has a right to feel safe in their schools, colleges, places of worship and communities.

We encourage all NEU members to take peaceful action in support of calls for a ceasefire, including joining peaceful protests and contacting their members of parliament.

 A group called Teachers for Palestine has been formed and will be holding a solidarity vigil tomorrow:

 

The strong advice to any parent of a student who has faced expulsion/sanction for advocacy for Palestine is to get in touch with the European Legal Support Center as soon as possible where you will be asked to fill in an incident report. https://elsc.support/

It would be useful to hear about any local schools where a positive educational response has been taken.

Saturday's actions across Brent, Camden and Harrow supporting 'Ceasefire Now!' in Gaza conflict

 Supporters of a ceasefire in Gaza will be marching to the Camden  offices of Tulip Siddiq (MP for Hampstead and Kilburn) and Keir Starmer (Holborn and St Pancras) tomorrow to call on them to declare their support for a 'Ceasefire Now! before more lives are lost. 

 

Barry Gardiner MP (Brent North) and Dawn Butler (Brent Central) both defied the Labour whip yesterday and joined other from Labour, SNP and Green Party in voting for a ceasefire and have been thanked by PSC members.

Members of Brent and Harrow Palestine Solidarity Campaign and Tulip Siddiq's constituents from both side of Kilburn, plus supporting organisations ,will travel to Chalk Farm Station to assemble from 1130am and march to Camden Town station to join with Camden PSC and others at 12.30pm for the last lap of the march to the Crowndale Centre near Mornington Crescent station where a rally will be held at 1pm.

 

The 31 bus from Swiss Cottage Station, Kilburn High Road station and Kilburn Park goes to Chalk Farm station. Those wanting a shorter walk are advised to join at Camden Town station by 12.30pm.

 

The route will be the direct main road between the stations,

Last week Brent and Harrow PSC held a candlelit vigil outside Kilburn station where the names and ages  of Palestinian and Jewish children killed in the conflict were read out, interspersed with poetry readings in a deeply affecting event supported by diverse members of the community.

 

Tomorrow there will also be an event in Harrow organised by Brent and Harrow PSC  with a
rally outside the office of Harrow East MP Bob Blackman at 11am-12 noon outside 209 Headstone Lane, Harrow HA2 6ND.  In  Kingsbury leafleting will take place outside Barclays, 505-507 Kingsbury Road, NW9 9EG. Barclays invests in arms companies that supply Israel's armed forces.

Members of both groups are invited to join the rally in Camden at 1pm at the Crowndale Centre, 218 Eversholt Street, NW1 1BD.

 

Brent and Harrow PSC on the peaceful 800,000 strong march on Saturday

'Listen to the People' - Green Party Leaders' message to Government and Labour on a ceasefire

 The co-leaders of the Green Party have written to the UK government and the official opposition urging them to "listen to the people” and join international calls for a ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza conflict.

In a letter to both the Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly and his Labour counterpart, Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy, Green co-leaders Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay, deputy leader Zack Polanski and Global Solidarity spokesperson Carne Ross set out how the only way to protect civilians is for the fighting to stop.

In addition, they call on both the Conservatives and Labour to throw their weight behind an “internationally arbitrated once-and-for-all settlement” so that “Israeli and Palestinian citizens can live in safety and security with their rights, at last, fully protected.”

Co-leader Carla Denyer said:

The mass civilian suffering we have seen in Israel and Gaza has shocked the world. Over 700 civilians are being killed every day, one child every ten minutes. The dire humanitarian situation is clearly intolerable and must end.

We cannot hear arguments about violence now somehow preventing further violence in future without shuddering. The lives of children cannot be bartered in this way.

We are deeply concerned that neither the UK government nor the official opposition has joined international calls for a ceasefire. It is with deep regret that the Green Party feels the need to point out that at times like these, silence is complicity.

We urge both the government and the Labour Party to listen to the British people, three-quarters of whom want an immediate ceasefire .

In the letters, the Green Party sets out how war crimes have been committed by both sides since Hamas’s horrific attacks on 7 October.

Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay said:

The awful attacks committed by Hamas on 7 October were brutal violence, and the hostages must be released unconditionally, but the horrific attacks we saw on that day cannot justify military actions that break international law.

There is no military route to long-term safety and security for the Israeli and Palestinian peoples, as they both deserve. Instead, there must be a political settlement, based on the requirements of international law and beginning with an end to the occupation.

The UK government should push for an internationally arbitrated once-and-for-all settlement that fully ends the occupation of Palestinian territories including East Jerusalem, in accordance with the requirements of international law.

It used to be the case that international law was the basis of UK government policy, and the positions of both Conservatives and Labour.  It is deeply troubling that this seems to have been forgotten by both government and opposition.  Such an abandonment will do long-term harm to Britain’s already-questionable reputation as a defender of the international rules-based order.

35 Brent Labour Councillors choose the 'right side of history' and call for a ceasefire in the Middle East conflict

Statement from Brent Multi-Faith Forum on current events

 Frank Dabba Smith, Mustafa Field and Danny Maher from the Brent Multi-Faith Forum, said:

We are aware that the trauma of the horrific violence of the last few days will be felt by innocent people in the Middle East region for generations to come. We are aware, too, that there are many people living in the London Borough of Brent who will be mourning the loss of family members, friends, and colleagues. We deplore all forms of violence and find any rejoicing at the suffering of others to be abhorrent.

We understand that this enduring and terrible conflict is deeply complex and embedded in historical trauma occurring to both sides. However the real suffering and pain must feel in a group’s narrative, cycles of abuse and violence must be ended. If not, committing hateful acts including violence, hostage-taking and a myriad forms of discrimination will only result in perpetuating more of the same.

We hold that the root of all faith / no faith must consist of the safeguarding of all life through the exercise of kindness, compassion and love. We support those of all faiths / no faith who are engaged in the struggle for peaceful dialogue, cooperation, conciliation and the equitable sharing of precious resources in the Middle East.

We are deeply committed to the safety and welfare of those of all faiths / no faith in Brent. There is no excuse for antisemitism, Islamophobia or any other hate crime. Exacerbating communal tensions will not be tolerated. We stand with the Metropolitan Police and Brent Council in urging the immediate reporting of any threatening behaviours.

Brent's commitment to tackling the carbon risk of its pension fund welcomed but roadmap to divestment urgently needed

Thursday's Brent Pension Fund Sub-Committee will be considering the Brent Investment Strategy Statement LINK. The Investment Strategy is an opportunity for the Fund to commit to positive action over what are known as ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) aspects of its investments.  Environmental includes investments in fossil fuels such as oil and gas which contribute to the global climate crisis. Brent Labour has a manifesto commitment to phase out such investments in the light of its Declaration of a Climate Emergency and has been lobbied by the campaign Divest Brent to move more quickly on its commitment and establish a timeline.

This is the relevant extract fom the statement:

Where appropriate, the Committee considers how it wishes to approach specific ESG factors in the context of its role in asset allocation and investment strategy setting. Taking into account the ratification in October 2016 of the Paris Agreement, the Committee considers that significant exposure to fossil fuel reserves within the Fund’s portfolio could pose a material financial risk. As a result, the Committee has committed to undertaking a Carbon Risk Audit for the Fund, quantifying the Fund’s exposure through its equity portfolio to fossil fuel reserves and power generation and where the greatest risks lie.

 

Once this audit has taken place the Committee intends to develop a plan to reduce the Fund’s carbon exposure. The plan will be periodically reviewed to ensure that it remains consistent with the risks associated with investment in carbon assets and with the Committee’s fiduciary duties.

 

 A key consideration in developing this plan, including the setting of any intermediate targets, will be the London Collective Investment Vehicle’s own plans to reduce the carbon exposure of the funds it oversees. Currently, c30%of the Fund’s assets sit directly with the London CIV this percentage is expected to grow over time. Once passive investments through LGIM and BlackRock are included, c90% of the Fund’s assets can be pooled.

 

At this stage, the Committee has not set a target timeframe for the Fund to become carbon neutral. This will be considered in more detail as part of the plan to reduce the Fund’s carbon exposure. Some flexibility may be appropriate to allow the Fund to adjust the pace of the transition in the light of changing financial conditions or technological advances in certain sectors.

 

The Committee considers exposure to carbon risk in the context of its role in asset allocation and investment strategy setting. Consideration has therefore been given in setting the Fund’s Investment Strategy to how this objective can be achieved within a pooled investment structure and the Committee, having taken professional advice, will work with the London CIV to ensure that suitable strategies are made available.

 

Where necessary, the Fund will also engage with its Investment Managers or the London CIV to address specific areas of carbon risk. The Fund expects its investment managers to integrate financially material ESG factors into their investment analysis and decision making and may engage with managers and the London CIV to ensure that the strategies it invests in remain appropriate for its needs.

 

The Committee consider the Fund’s approach to responsible investment in two key areas:

 

·Sustainable investment / ESG factors–considering the financial impact of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors (including climate change) on its investments.

·Stewardship and governance–acting as responsible and active investors/owners, through considered voting of shares, and engaging with investee company management as part of the investment process.

 

In light of the latest investment strategy review and the Fund’s increased focus and importance of responsible investment, the Fund has bolstered its beliefs in this area, specifically:

 

 ·Ongoing engagement and collaborative investment practices will affect positive change through the powers of collective influence.

 

·We must act as responsible owners

 

·The Fund’s investment managers should embed the consideration of ESG factors into their investment process and decision-making

 

More detail on these beliefs can be found in the appendix.

 

The Committee takes ESG matters very seriously. Its investment beliefs include explicit statements relating to ESG and climate change. The ESG criteria of its existing investment investments are assessed on an ongoing basis and ESG is a key consideration when assessing the relative merits of any potential new Fund investments. The Fund also conducts an annual review of its:

 

·Policies in this area,

 

·Investment managers’ approach to responsible investing; and

 

·Members’ training needs and implements training to reflect these needs.

 

At the present time the Committee does not take into account non-financial factors when selecting, retaining, or realising its investments. The Committee understand the Fund is not able to exclude investments in order to pursue boycotts, divestment and sanctions against foreign nations and UK defence industries.

 

The London CIV itself is committed to responsible investment and duly recognises the role of ESG factors in the investment decision making process, evidenced by its own ‘responsible investment policy’. The Fund is supportive of this and will monitor the policy on a regular basis as more assets transfer into the pool to ensure consistency with its own beliefs. Details of the investment managers’ governance principles can be found on their websites.

Asked for a comment on the Statement, Simon Erskine of Divest Brent said:

When Divest Brent presented its 1,400-strong petition on divesting the Brent Pension Fund (i.e. getting rid of the Fund’s fossil-fuel investments) to the Cabinet of Brent Council back in April, the Deputy Leader of the Council pledged to develop a clear roadmap towards progressing the divestment strategy. It was therefore heartening to read the Council’s updated Investment Strategy Statement which is going to the Pension Fund Sub-committee for approval at its meeting on Thursday (June 24). The Council has not made any specific commitment to divest by any specific date but as a step towards the promised “clear roadmap” it is an encouraging start. Key points include:

 

·         Commitment to a Carbon Risk Audit for the Pension Fund followed by

·         Development of a plan to reduce the carbon exposure of the Fund

·         The timeframe for this decarbonisation would be considered as part of the roadmap

·         The Fund will engage with its investment managers to address specific areas of carbon risk

·         Climate change and the expected transition to a low carbon economy is a long term financial risk to Fund outcomes

 

Unsurprisingly the updated investment strategy does not deliver all we would like to see. Notably the Council has retained its stance, shared with many other local authorities, that engagement is preferable to divestment – in other words asking oil companies nicely if they could kindly stop producing so much oil – rather than simply jettisoning their shares. They do now, however, say that if, after a considered period, there is no evidence of a company making visible progress towards carbon reduction then divestment should be actively considered.

 

Ironically the Pension Fund Sub-committee will also be considering a report from LAPFF, the local authority group tasked with engaging with companies, featuring a piece on their engagement with Shell. From the report it was clear that Shell were uninterested in the point made by LAPFF that their net zero commitment would require developing a new, mature forest the size of Washington State (one of the US’s biggest states). LAPFF also pointed out that their plans to decarbonise involved carbon capture and storage (CCS) centres equivalent to 10x that of the world’s largest current CCS centre, which itself is mired in problems. Shell reckons that these steps will actually enable them to increase gas production and burning! It is perhaps no surprise that the Council officers’ introduction, for the Pension Fund Sub-committee, to the LAPFF report omitted to mention the piece on Shell…

 

In conclusion there is much to welcome in the updated investment strategy statement – but let’s wait and see what the promised roadmap comes up with in terms of detail and time-table.

 

There is a section of the Statement that may well be challenged by other campaigners when it states:  

The Committee understand the Fund is not able to exclude investments in order to pursue boycotts, divestment and sanctions against foreign nations and UK defence industries. 

In April 2020 Palestine Solidarity Campaign defeated the UK government in the Supreme Court, overturning guidance that advised Local Government Pension Funds against taking ethical investment decisions that contravened UK government foreign policy, restricting the ability of funds to remove investments from companies complicit in Israel’s violations of international law and Palestinian human rights.

The Campaign's research shows that Brent has  £6,846,096 invested in companies in 'grave breach of international laws carried out by the Israeli government towards Palestinians'.

Details of the companies involved can be found HERE.