Right to Boycott

That the Parliament recognises the Right to Boycott campaign, which is defending the right of public bodies to decide not to purchase or procure from, or invest in, companies involved in human rights abuse, abuse of workers’ rights, destruction of the planet, or any other harmful or illegal acts; understands that the UK Government intends to pass legislation preventing public bodies from exercising this right; notes the reported support of the campaign from many trade unions, including ASLEF Union, BFAWU, CWU, FBU, NEU, PCS, RMT, TSSA, Unite, UNISON and UCU; further notes the reported support from a wide range of organisations, including the Campaign Against Arms Trade, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, Cuba Solidarity Campaign, Friends of the Earth Scotland, Global Justice Now, Greenpeace UK, Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Stop the War Coalition, Quakers in Britain, and War on Want; acknowledges what it considers to be the powerful role that boycotts have played in challenging injustice, including against apartheid in South Africa; believes that the proposed UK law presents a threat to freedom of expression; calls on the UK Government to immediately halt this bill, and further calls on civil society to mobilise in support of the right to boycott in the cause of justice.