Category: Campaign

Jack Roberts of the Argus newspaper gave the following report on the 20th December 2025:

West Sussex County Council has rejected a public call to divest its pension fund from companies linked to Israel.

Councillors debated the petition during a full council meeting on Friday, December 12.

The petition urged the council to “urgently commit to divesting its Local Government Pension Scheme investments from companies complicit in Israel’s genocide, military occupation, and apartheid against Palestinians.” ….

To read the full story, please follow this link to the original published in the Argus.

A quick account of the 12/12 petition presentation for those who couldn’t be there:

• 5-minute address, I didn’t fluff my lines (phew!)
• Great audience participation from our supporters in the public gallery.
• The bad news: the Tory ‘do nothing’ proposition passed 32 to 20 (10 abstentions). Outrageous!
• The good news:
• Four of the Tories didn’t vote for their own motion.
• All of Labour, Lib Dems and Green/Independent alliance voted against the Tory ‘do nothing’ proposition.
• All three parties put propositions of their own in support of the petition.
• The demo that followed went well: Debbie Woudman (convenor of Worthing Green Party branch) spoke in support of the petition. Plus a number of those present spoke about what else they are doing for Palestine.

Going forward:

• Development of the relationship with supportive Councillors?
• Focus on the Pensions Committee?
• A new petition?

Presentation of WS-Divest Petition with 3,293 signatures

The presentation of our petition was met with predictable results. All but four of the Tory councillors voted to ignore it. Outrageous! However the good news is that all the councillors in the other main parties: Labour, Lib Dem, Green/Independent alliance put in their own motions of support for the petition and all voted against the Tories ‘do nothing’ motion – a superb joint effort!

Now the campaign goes on! WS-Divest – Bigger and Better in 2026.

A webcast recording of this meeting is available from the County Council on this link.

A clip from the County Council video of the meeting, covering the divestment address and debate, can be viewed below.

After the debate, there was a public demonstration of support for the petition outside County Hall. Photographs of the public demonstration can be viewed in the image gallery below.

Please join us on the 12th December outside County Hall and call for West Sussex Council to divest from companies complicit in breaches of international law and human rights abuses in Palestine

At 10:15am the full county council will meet. The first item on the agenda is the divestment appeal backed by our petition of almost 3,300 signatures.

At 11:30am we will hold a demonstration of public support for divestment, outside the County Hall.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Public Pressure Mounts on West Sussex Council Over Pension Fund
Investments as Calls for Divestment Rejected