Unions reject attack on PSC

Nine unions have responded jointly to reports that the government is considering banning MPs and councillors from engaging with groups such as the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC).

The NEU and UCU education, PCS public and commercial services, CWU communications, ASLEF, RMT and TSSA rail, FBU firefighters’ and BFAWU foodworkers’ unions said they are “proud affiliates of PSC, sharing its aim of promoting the rights of the Palestinian people and working to end the oppression they face”.

They pointed out that the PSC is the largest organisation in Europe campaigning in support of Palestinian rights, with hundreds of thousands of members and supporters from a broad cross section of British society, including thousands of union members.

And they rejected as “profoundly anti-democratic” any suggestion that the government or political parties should produce a blacklist and refuse to engage with civil society organisations or sections of the electorate.