Bid to make Wirral council pension fund divest from nine Israeli firms is defeated

A proposal aimed at making the Merseyside Pension Fund question its investment in nine Israeli companies linked to settlements in the West Bank has been defeated following a vote.

A meeting of the Wirral Council Pensions Committee on Wednesday heard a report by the director of the fund outlining the need for engagement on issues of responsible human rights policy.

Fund director Peter Wallach said it was “premature” to begin divestment policies, but said the report on the issue had raised “credible issues.”

Amongst those backing the call to investigate the actions of the Israeli companies linked to the region’s pension fund was Jo Bird, the local councillor expelled from Labour over her support for the banned Labour Against The Witchhunt organisation.

Bird claimed the proposals were “very sensible” and at one stage told the meeting:”It pains me we are looking at the only Jewish state in the world because I am Jewish.

“I have friends and family in Israel – but we shouldn’t be excluding Israel from proper behaviour.”

But Bird’s speech was overshadowed by two speeches against the proposals – one from Conservative councillor Jeff Green, and other from Labour’s Brian Kenny.

Green asked:”We are we targeting one particular country?”

He also said he was concerned by the fact that much of the mail he had received on the issue had come from locals connected to the BDS movement.

Green also said the job of the Committee was not to set foreign policy but to look after the fund to ensure there was enough money for members when they retire.

Cllr Kenny then reiterated the Labour Party’s opposition to BDS “because we believe it is discriminatory.”

He added:”It singles out Israel, the only Jewish state and holds it to higher standards than any other country in the world.”

From the Greens Pat Cleary, chair of the Pensions Committee, said there were widely shared concerns over the issue amongst members of the fund.

But following a vote the move to accept the recommendations of the Officers Report on the issue was defeated.

Earlier the meeting also noted how an amendment from Tory MP Robert Jenrick aimed a preventing BDS around local pensions funds  passed in Westminster on Tuesday following a vote.

It was accepted that the implications of the vote had yet to be seen.

Cllr Bird, now standing an independent, then claimed:”The issues aren’t going to go away.”

Cllr Green said: “Move on. These recommendations are not endorsed.”

Luke Akehurst, director of We Believe In Israel, later said it was “Brilliant news that the divestment proposal backed by BDS supporters was defeated tonight at Wirral Council’s Pensions Committee, thanks not least to hundreds of Merseyside residents emailing to express their concern.”

A second motion, which called on council officers to look at companies in all disputed territories, was carried.

But this is unlikely to be completed before the Public Service Pensions Bill passes in the Commons.