The Government has announced it was consulting on further steps to stop councils from boycotting Israel or companies that trade with Israel.
They say:
“These latest plans would require local authorities by law to treat suppliers fairly and in line with the British government’s policies. It would mean no council could boycott any country or industry unless restrictions have already been put in place by the government. This follows rules set by the World Trade Organisation requiring all member countries to treat suppliers equally and without prejudice.
Rules were introduced earlier last year which prevented councils from using local government pension policies to introduce boycotts. New Cabinet Office guidance was also introduced in February 2016, which govern the procurement of goods and services by public bodies.
Today’s announcement applies to councils, and would make following the British government’s foreign policies a legal requirement when buying goods and services – effectively outlawing locally-imposed boycotts.”
We would encourage you to respond to the consultation using our model email.