Lawyers from the European Legal Support Centre (ELSC) have written to Tory-run Westminster council warning it that it is about to breach its statutory ‘Public Sector Equality Duty’.
Racist vote
The council has scheduled a vote this evening (11 Nov) on a motion to “affirm that Zionism is not racism” – drawn up in knee-jerk, Zionist response to the Green party’s motion that ‘Zionism is racism’, which it evidently is. The motion, if passed, will reject anti-Zionism and commit the council to carry out equality training to indoctrinate its staff against anti-Zionism.
But anti-Zionism has been recognised by UK courts as protected political belief, making discrimination on the basis of a person’s anti-Zionism unlawful.
ELSC says that there is no evidence the council has fulfilled its legal duty to assess the impact of its motion on Palestinians, or consulted them at all – and the motion does not even mention Palestine, Palestinians or their experience of Zionism and Zionist racism. The group has asked the council to provide – before any vote is held – any Equality Impact Assessment it has carried out, along with any evidence of statutory compliance.
ELSC also says it is considering its next steps, including potential legal action. Westminster Palestine Solidarity Campaign is holding a demo outside the council chamber from 6pm tonight at Westminster Council House, 97–113 Marylebone Road, NW1 5PT.
Header image by Richard Kelly (Creative Commons)
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