The following motion was passed at a quorate branch meeting on 15th October 2025.
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Motion: Terrorism Act 2000 Amendment and the Proscribing of Palestine Action as voted for by Pam Cox
This branch notes:
- A draft order to amend the Terrorism Act 2000 and proscribe Palestine Action passed the Commons on Wednesday 2nd
- The effect of the order is to make it a criminal offence, punishable by up to 14 years in prison, not only to belong to Palestine Action or to participate in its activities but even to voice support for it.
- Palestine Action is a protest group that carries out acts of civil disobedience. These involve property damage but no violence against living beings.
- According to international standards, acts of protest that damage property, but are not intended to kill or injure people, should not be treated as terrorism.
- The proscription has been condemned by UN experts, civil liberties groups, cultural figures and hundreds of lawyers.
- Already, large numbers of people have been arrested and charged simply for voicing support for Palestine Action.
- There are also several reports of the police misusing the powers they have acquired as a result of the order to arrest and intimidate protestors simply for expressing support for the Palestinian people or disapproval of Israel’s actions in Gaza.
- Former branch member and senior academic member of staff Pam Cox, now MP for Colchester, voted in favour of the order.
- Many branch members who are now constituents of Pam Cox wrote to her prior to the vote expressing deep concern regarding the consequences of proscribing a non-violent direct action protest group and received this reply: “I believe it is right that the Government takes these threats very seriously, and that it is willing to take the necessary and proportionate steps to protect the public and defend our values.”
This branch believes that:
Far from defending our values, the order is a shocking infringement of liberty. It undermines civil liberties, constitutes a misuse of anti-terrorism legislation, suppresses dissent against the United Kingdom’s policy on Israel, and criminalises support for a protest group, thereby creating a chilling effect on freedom of expression.
Given the harm it causes to civil liberties, all should oppose the order, whether they agree with Palestine Action’s aims and methods or not.
This branch resolves:
To condemn Pam Cox in the strongest possible terms for voting in favour of the Home Secretary’s order designating Palestine Action a terrorist organisation.
To formally communicate the branch’s position on this vote to the former colleague and union member and now MP for Colchester.