British town halls and publicly funded universities face “severe penalties” if they institute boycotts of “unethical” companies or Israeli goods under controversial new rules to be outlined by the government this week.
“Locally imposed boycotts can roll back integration as well as hinder Britain’s export trade and harm international relationship,” the Cabinet Office said in a statement on Monday.
“Town hall boycotts undermine good community relations, poisoning and polarising debate, weakening integration and fuelling anti-Semitism,” it added.
The proposed rules are due to be announced later this week by Cabinet Office Minister Matt Hancock during a visit to Israel, the government statement said, without saying what penalties may be imposed. “We need to challenge and prevent these divisive town hall boycotts,” Hancock was expected to say.
