Ethical Investments Three

Last night UNISON members at Kent County Council voted to call for ethical investments by the pension fund - a move that I strongly support. Currently KCC have £14m invested in BAE, the fourth largest arms company in the world, £14m in tobacco shares and £91m in oil.

They have issued some rhetoric about having joined a climate change investment group, but this is not backed by policy and KCC continue to say that profits come higher than lives.

I was on Radio Kent last night about this and I gather that it will be featured again this morning. Press release below:

GREENS SUPPORT UNISON BID TO PUSH COUNTY COUNCIL TOWARDS ETHICAL PENSIONS

> Kent Green Party have backed Unison member's calls to provide ethical pensions at Kent County Council.
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> Stuart Jeffery, Green Party parliamentary candidate for Maidstone and the Weald: "We have spent a long time campaigning against KCC's investment in arms, tobacco and oil and we really welcome this move by Unison members at their AGM to call for ethical pensions to be provided by the council.
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> "Companies that are involved in the deaths of millions of people should not be supported by governments, however we know that Kent County Council simply wants to put profit before lives. The biggest scandal is easily the £14 million of BAE shares that KCC holds. This company is the fourth largest arms manufacturer in the world and have been accused of a number of illegal deals, the investigations into which are being blocked by central government.
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> "How any elected representative can support this thoroughly immoral company is beyond me." ENDS