Labour councillors accused of hypocrisy following Palestine Action clampdown

Twm Owen, local democracy reporter

Labour councillors who wore sashes and rosettes to commemorate the Suffragettes have been accused of hypocrisy by a campaign group.

Members of Labour controlled Torfaen Borough Council remembered the campaigners who battled the establishment to win votes for women at their July meeting.

But the Newport Palestine Solidarity Campaign group contrasted the council’s celebration of campaigners, who felt compelled to act outside of the law to achieve equal representation, with the UK Labour’s government’s tough stance on the Palestine Action campaign group.

Palestine Action has been proscribed as a terrorist group by the government, which it is challenging through the courts. Proscription makes membership or expressing support for the direct action group a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

Protests

Since the group was banned, protests have been held and last weekend the BBC reported more than 100 people were arrested at demonstrations across the UK, with 55 arrested in London for displaying placards in support of the group.

Zahid Noor, of the Newport Palestine Solidarity Campaign, said it had opposed the proscription of Palestine Action and accused councillors supporting historic protests of failing to see the connection with those engaged in direct action today.

“It’s very easy for politicians to really celebrate the Chartists and things like that and not necessarily look at the issues in a wider perspective,” said Mr Noor: “I think it is hypocritical.”

Mr Noor said the Newport campaign group was criticised for holding a protest during the city’s commemoration of the Chartist rebellion last year: “We were criticised for holding a peaceful protest, opposing genocide and calling out MPs, by people celebrating an armed rebellion.

“It does seem there needs to be more engagement in some of these issues from civic society and groups like Newport Rising and our councillors.”

Divest

Newport Palestine Solidarity Campaign Group is currently petitioning Newport City Council to divest its pension fund from firms linked to “Human rights abuses and violations of international law, including genocide and apartheid in Palestine.”

It has previously picketed meetings of the Greater Gwent Pension Fund that is hosted by Torfaen Borough Council. The fund has previously said it is in an investor’s “best interests to undertake Human Rights due diligence and compliance” and it is part of the Welsh Pension Partnership which has a “preference to engage with companies as opposed to divestment.”

Torfaen council’s Labour leader Anthony Hunt said he couldn’t see a link between his council commemorating the Suffragettes, whose campaign of civil disobedience and disruption included vandalism, arson and mail bombs, and the government’s proscription of a direct action group.

Cllr Hunt said: “I’m not really sure what the two issues have to do with each other. I don’t see the link between the two positions. We were standing up for a group who helped bring about equal representation for women.”

The Panteg councillor, who wore a rosette in Suffragette colours at the meeting, said he is “horrified at what is going on in Israel and Palestine” and would support in any way he could efforts to bring about a “peaceful solution”.

When MPs voted to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation they faced criticism as earlier that day all 264 female MPs were presented with sashes, made in Newport, to mark 97 years since women were given the right to vote.

Green Party MP Carla Denyer said on social media: “Today women MPs wore Suffragette sashes to celebrate Votes for Women–won by civil disobedience & celebrated in Parliament’s gift shop.

“And yet now the government is asking us to vote to proscribe Palestine Action–a modern civil disobedience group–as terrorists.”

‘Draconian’

Human rights group Amnesty International has called the proscription of Palestine Action “draconian” and an “unprecedented legal overreach”.

At Torfaen council’s July meeting, at the Civic Centre in Pontypool, councillors marked the passing of the Equal Franchise Act that extended the vote to those aged 21 and over.

Presiding member Cllr Rose Seabourne said: “I would like to take this opportunity thank members for wearing sashes and rosettes today in memory of the anniversary of votes for women.

“This symbolic gesture honours the courageous individuals who fought tirelessly for women’s suffrage and reminds us of the importance of equal representation in our democracy.

“It’s fitting we mark this milestone together as a council and continuing their legacy through our commitment to inclusion and equality for all.”

Newport Palestine Solidarity Campaign is due to hold a protest outside the office of Jessica Morden MP on Friday, July 25.