A Palestine flag is raised from the public gallery

CAMPAIGNERS who want Camden Council to divest pension fund deposits from companies linked to Israel – and the manufacture of arms used in Gaza – brought the Town Hall chamber to a standstill on Monday evening. Councillors left the room after people in the upstairs public gallery began interrupting their speeches.

A request for an official deputation to the all-member meeting had been rejected with Mayor of Camden Eddie Hanson ruling it should be taken to the council’s pension committee.

Demonstrators raised the example of neighbouring Islington – also Labour-run – which recently decided to get rid of accounts with Barclays, citing “ethical banking” factors on human rights and fossil fuels. It followed pressure from the Islington Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

Barclays said it did work with companies that supplied “defence products to the UK, NATO and its allies” but that the nature of its investments had been misconstrued, adding: “It is the role of government to decide foreign policy and laws which restrict the delivery of weapons to any one country.”