Conservative, Liberal Democrats and Labour MPs from all sides of House stood up and condemned the University and Colleges Union’s proposed boycott of Israeli Academic Institutions, in a debate in the House of Commons last Thursday.

In a debate on Anti Semitism, the MPs slammed the proposed boycott labeling it as “unacceptable”, questioning the motives on singling out Israel and expressed fears for Jewish students on British campuses.

John Mann MP (Lab) attacked the UCU motion:

“They have nobody to negotiate on the real issues affecting their work force, which is perhaps why their membership seems to be going down rather than up and will continue to do so if they choose to pick on the frivolities of life, such as intellectual debates, rather than the real stuff of life, such as the terms and conditions of their members.”

Chris Huhne MP (Liberal Democrat) said

“The boycott would be counter-productive, even in the terms of those who are pressing for it, since many of those who are most critical of Israeli Government policies are to be found in the universities, think-tanks and institutes within Israel.”

Tim Boswell MP (Con) said

“the question of the academic boycott, for which there is no place in a university sector. It is unacceptable, and if there is any doubt, academics individually and the universities collectively must be told that it is unacceptable.”

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Ian Wright MP, the Undersecretary of State at the Department of Communities and Local Government said:

“Such boycotts threaten academic freedom and intellectual exchange, and cannot be acceptable. Lecturers in the new university and college lecturers’ union should be given every support to combat selective boycotts that are anti-Jewish in principle. I urge the new union’s executive and leadership to oppose the boycott”

Jeremy Newmark, the Chief Executive of The Jewish Leadership Council said

“The debate provides evidence that Members of Parliament from all parties oppose the boycott. They share our view that it represents a full frontal assault on academic freedom. Importantly, the debate highlighted the concern of Jewish students across the UK. Given the Parliamentary inquiry’s sharp focus on the academic world, one of the first tests of the implementation process will be to see how Government opposition to the academic boycott is translated into action. “

A spokesperson from Stop the Boycott Said:

“The vast majority of MPs are united in finding the proposed boycott as unacceptable in this day and age. The vast majority of UCU members are absolutely of the same mind – they want their union to go back to the bread and butter issues of getting the best deal from their employers and not picking on their colleagues from another country.”

Notes for editors

Please contact Jeremy Lucas, STOP THE BOYCOTT press officer 0207 636 5500 for any further information. Our website is www.stoptheboycott.org