Recognition, Reparation, Reconciliation Conference: British Council

(asked on 10th December 2018) - View Source

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment, if any, they have made of the adherence of the British Council to the Equality Act 2010 and to the principle of the universality of science in its sponsorship of the Recognition Reparation Reconciliation conference, held on 5 December at Stellenbosch University, from which Israeli and Palestinian academic contributors were caused to withdraw.


Answered by
 Portrait
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
This question was answered on 20th December 2018

We have not made any assessment of these issues. We understand the British Council, an executive non-departmental public body that is independent from the British Government, was not a sponsor of the conference and its support was to enable UK-based academics to attend the conference and share their experience of the Northern Irish Peace Process and its impact. The British Government’s position on boycotts is clear. While we do not hesitate to express disagreement with Israel whenever we feel it necessary, we are firmly opposed to boycotts. We believe that imposing sanctions on Israel or supporting anti-Israeli boycotts would not support our efforts to progress the peace process and achieve a negotiated solution.

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