Archive
Essex: Call for council to invest its money more “ethically” – News – East Anglian Daily Times
Essex: Call for council to invest its money more “ethically” – News – East Anglian Daily Times.
The Labour Party opposition on Essex County Council has called for a more ethical investment policy. Some remarkably ill informed comments from the pension committee chair, who seems to be unaware of the nefarious activities of big tobacco companies involved in illicit trade. Try googling “BAT tobacco smuggling” for a dose of reality.
SF slams tobacco but won’t act – Local – Londonderry Sentinel
SF slams tobacco but won’t act – Local – Londonderry Sentinel.
The Northern Ireland pension fund has around £78m invested in tobacco companies.
‘Hypocrisy’ claims over Suffolk County Council’s £30m stake in tobacco industry – News – East Anglian Daily Times
“Investing in the deadly tobacco industry will mean many of Suffolk County Council’s members who are smokers will not live to collect their pensions and many of the children of their members will be condemned to picking up the deadly habit.“We are jeopardising the lives of our children while seeking to protect our pensions. It’s hypocritical and it’s an untenable position to be in.”
Parliamentary Motion to end tobacco investments
Early Day Motion 339 has 30 MPs signed up so far. Has your MP signed up yet? Check here:
http://www.parliament.uk/edm/2013-14/339
If not please write to your MP asking him/her to sign the motion. You can find your MP and email very easily through this link:
The motion states:
That this House notes with concern that English local authorities, which took over public health functions from the NHS in April, invest over £1.6 billion in tobacco firms such as British American Tobacco and Philip Morris through their pension funds; further notes that smoking causes more preventable deaths than anything else, nearly 80,000 in England during 2011; believes that these investments run counter to the duty given to each council to improve the health of people in its area under the Health and Social Care Act 2012; welcomes Public Health England’s call for councils to divest from tobacco as part of their commitments under the World Health Organisation’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control; urges local authority pension fund managers to review their tobacco investments in light of ethical concerns and the high-risk nature of tobacco investments; calls on the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health to send a letter to each English council leader urging them to divest from tobacco firms; and further calls on the Government to bring forward legislation to prohibit public sector organisations from investing directly in tobacco companies, in order to meet the letter and spirit of the UK commitment to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
Avon Pension fund urged to cease investment in tobacco products
Pension fund urged to cease investment in tobacco products.
LibDem Councillors in Bristol have tabled a motion to the next council meeting calling for an end to tobacco investments by the Avon Pension Fund.
The tobacco industry gets smoked out – Consumer News & Advice | Pricewatch, Money Advice | The Irish Time – Mon, Jul 15, 2013
This article suggests that E-cigs will seriously impact tobacco companies core business in the coming decade.
EHN Online | Disinvest from tobacco say MPs
EHN Online | Disinvest from tobacco say MPs.
Has your MP signed the Motion in the House of Commons yet? You can ask your MP to sign the motion calling on the public health minister Anna Soubry to take action on local authority pension fund investments in tobacco companies. You can easily contact your MP online using this website:
Imperial Tobacco For so long regarded as a safe sector, cracks are now appearing in the foundations of big tobacco.
For so long regarded as a safe sector, cracks are now appearing in the foundations of big tobacco.
Dutch Pension Fund Blacklists Tobacco Companies – WSJ.com
Dutch Pension Fund Blacklists Tobacco Companies – WSJ.com.
The reasons given include that the companies failed to address concerns about the alleged use of child labour, and the way the companies market and sell products to young people.
Tobacco Free Pensions 