Criminalising boycotts will help unethical businesses thrive

This is not just about protests against Israel – draconian proposals to stop public bodies making ethical decisions allow big business to call the shots



A boycott is a very British form of protest. It is action through inaction. Over the decades, they have been used to express distaste in the behaviour of countless governments, regimes, individuals and companies with great effect. The boycott of apartheid South Africa has a sort of folklore status as having contributed to the demise of a violent, racist system. Many a brand or government – from the Burmese junta to Nestlé – has felt the force of pound power over the years.

It is hardly surprising, then, that speculation about an imminent announcement from the government about the criminalisation of certain kinds of trade boycott by public authorities – including bodies as diverse as the NHS and student unions – has provoked consternation. Such legislation could have enormous consequences on the ability of Britons to wield this power.

At the very least, any such legislation will undermine the ability of public bodies to pursue ethical procurement policies. That would be in direct conflict with an EU public procurement directive that expressly requires member states to take into account the widest possible range of social and environmental considerations when buying goods and services for the public sector.

No matter how the government frames this proposed legislation, it is bound to have a chilling effect on public officials who have to take these purchasing decisions. They will err on the side of caution to avoid running the risk of committing a criminal offence or facing legal challenges from companies that are excluded because they fall below certain standards of conduct.

At a time when there is so much public concern about the impact of unethical business practices, it is more important than ever that companies be held to account by denying contracts to those that fall short of international standards. Otherwise the government is creating moral hazard whereby responsible companies may be denied business opportunities by rogue companies that undercut them.

If that were not enough, these new measures are likely to fly in the face of the government’s existing policies and legislation – such as the recent Modern Slavery Act, which requires companies to publish the steps they are taking to eradicate slavery and human trafficking from any part of their business. The whole point of this provision is to enable purchasers to take decisions on the basis of the actions that companies are taking on slavery. It doesn’t make any sense for public sector organisations to be prohibited from taking such decisions.



Amnesty International has documented a number of cases in which companies headquartered in the UK have caused or contributed to human rights abuses in other countries. By failing to take effective action, and by tying the hands of public bodies to prevent them making ethical decisions about whom they buy goods and services from, the government is facilitating a situation where multinational corporations operate to unacceptably low standards. Especially in countries where the rule of law or national enforcement is weak.

While the government’s motivation may be to protect trade with certain countries, such as Israel, and certain industries that have been the subject of boycott calls, such as arms manufacturers, there is a risk that this draconian measure could actually undermine the rule of law by deterring local authorities from giving effect to international standards that the UK is, in principle, committed to.

For example, according to the statute of the international criminal court, Israel’s policy of settling its civilians in the West Bank is illegal. Continued settlement activity violates international law, entails daily violations of human rights and humiliations for Palestinians, and sabotages prospects of reaching an equitable and enduring resolution to the conflict between the Israeli military and Palestinian armed groups. The government should be engaging with such realities rather than preventing public bodies from doing so.

Yet again this is an intervention by this government that limits the proper expression of concern and the ability of public bodies to speak out on behalf of ordinary people. Never mind “big society”, these days it is big business that calls the shots.


http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/feb/16/criminalising-boycotts-unethical-businesses-protests-israel-public-bodies-ethical-decisions


You didn't think this was all about Israel did you?  The main reason is to protect their mates in the arms industry etc.  It Fascism, you vil do vat ve say, or else!

Typical left wing regression, promoting discrimination again, making all culpable.

A boycott was perfected by the Nazi's of the Jews, to the point it reclassified them as inferior people, which is in effect what a boycott does. It reclassifies a people as to be inferior not to do business with base off no sound reasoning by hate or a dislike.

Hence why some of the left are the worst racist going

The most telling point is on human rights, as how do you claim to stand for human rights by denying them to other through boycotts

David Cameron accepted an all-expenses paid trip to apartheid South Africa while Nelson Mandela was still in prison;
The trip by Mr Cameron in 1989, when he was a rising star of the Conservative Research Department, was funded by a firm that lobbied against the imposition of sanctions on the apartheid regime.

How pathetic

Again boycotts are discrimination, and those who back them back racism when directed solely at one nation

Facts are facts Stassi, you are a racist vile low life scum

well they cant stop the individual boycotting stuff....

Lord Foul wrote:well they cant stop the individual boycotting stuff....

Indeed, then one wonders  if and why they would only select one country?

If they did would expose them being a racist twat also

But would that be any surprise?

So...sanctions...which are merely boycotts on a bigger scale , approved by govts, are "racist" then

I take it you will be arguing against sanctions imposed on N Korea and Russia then????

Lord Foul wrote:So...sanctions...which are merely boycotts on a bigger scale , approved by govts,  are "racist" then

I take it you will be arguing against sanctions imposed on N Korea and Russia then????

Sanctions should be against individuals, not all a nation, as that is making a whole nation culpable

Also sanctions do not work either, ever heard of Cuba?

I don't see why selecting one country makes someone racist. They might just have more intolerance towards the particular issue in that country.

Raggamuffin wrote:I don't see why selecting one country makes someone racist. They might just have more intolerance towards the particular issue in that country.

Again you are making every person from that nation culpable to basically a criminal act by the position you then take to boycott the country

That is as racist as it gets

If I boycotted Spain because of bull fighting, that's not being racist.

Raggamuffin wrote:If I boycotted Spain because of bull fighting, that's not being racist.

Yes it is because you are making every single Spanish citizen, whether they support or not bull fighting guilty

That is racist as it gets

Oh well, I don't care. They shouldn't have bull fighting.

Raggamuffin wrote:Oh well, I don't care. They shouldn't have bull fighting.

Contradiction

I don't care if someone thinks I'm racist for disapproving of bull fighting, and if I boycotted a country where the citizens indulge in it.

That is all.

Raggamuffin wrote:I don't care if someone thinks I'm racist for disapproving of bull fighting, and if I boycotted a country where the citizens indulge in it.

That is all.

So you are racist then making those who do not support bullfighting in Spain as guilty as those who do

Didge wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:I don't care if someone thinks I'm racist for disapproving of bull fighting, and if I boycotted a country where the citizens indulge in it.

That is all.

So you are racist then making those who do not support bullfighting in Spain as guilty as those who do

No.

Next.

Raggamuffin wrote:

Didge wrote:


So you are racist then making those who do not support bullfighting in Spain as guilty as those who do

No.

Next.

Yes you are as proven easily


Next

Didge wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:

No.

Next.

Yes you are as proven easily


Next

Then you are an animal abuser for refusing to boycott Spain.

Next.

Raggamuffin wrote:

Didge wrote:

Yes you are as proven easily


Next

Then you are an animal abuser for refusing to boycott Spain.

Next.

Really how is that?

Why not target sanctions against individuals that are involved in bullfighting?

You see your views I have just exposed for being idiotic and racist

Didge wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:

Then you are an animal abuser for refusing to boycott Spain.

Next.

Really how is that?

Why not target sanctions against individuals that are involved in bullfighting?

You see your views I have just exposed for being idiotic and racist

You just exposed your views as being supportive of animal abuse. Shame on you, you idiotic, moronic thug.

Raggamuffin wrote:

Didge wrote:


Really how is that?

Why not target sanctions against individuals that are involved in bullfighting?

You see your views I have just exposed for being idiotic and racist

You just exposed your views as being supportive of animal abuse. Shame on you, you idiotic, moronic thug.

Listen you ignorant dumb fuckwit

I proposed sanctions on those involved

Your proposal makes all Spanish guilty, making you a vile nasty racist c u n t

Didge wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:

You just exposed your views as being supportive of animal abuse. Shame on you, you idiotic, moronic thug.

Listen you ignorant dumb fuckwit

I proposed sanctions on those involved

Your proposal makes all Spanish guilty, making you a vile nasty racist c u n t

Listen, you ignorant, thick bastard, you're a nasty, vile animal abuser. Go and stick your head down a toilet to clean it.

Raggamuffin wrote:

Didge wrote:


Listen you ignorant dumb fuckwit

I proposed sanctions on those involved

Your proposal makes all Spanish guilty, making you a vile nasty racist c u n t

Listen, you ignorant, thick bastard, you're a nasty, vile animal abuser. Go and stick your head down a toilet to clean it.

No matter what bullshit you come out with you racist nazi skank, all can see no only are you full of shit and a lying whore but that you are a c u n t