The Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill, which was announced in July 2023, is being debated in the House of Commons today.

Michael Gove, the UK’s secretary of state for levelling up, housing and communities, has said the bill will prevent public bodies “wasting taxpayers’ time and money pursuing their own foreign policy agenda”.

However, Amnesty International yesterday said the bill “effectively grants Israel impunity at a time of flagrant breaches of international law in Gaza and the West Bank” and called on MPs to reject it.

Clause 3(7) of the bill singles out Israel as the only state which cannot be excluded from the operation of the law through secondary legislation.

Sacha Deshmukh, Amnesty’s UK chief executive, said: “This draconian bill will stifle free speech among members of public bodies and undermine efforts to procure goods and services free from slavery, environmental harm and other human rights abuses.

“The clear intention of the bill is to make members of councils, NHS trusts and other public bodies fearful of sharing views in their correspondence or on social media about issues like the terrible human rights crisis in Gaza or China’s appalling treatment of the Uighurs.

“With Israel’s lethal conduct in Gaza being heavily criticised all over the world, it’s utterly bizarre that ministers are trying to prevent members of councils and other public bodies from being able to consider the carnage in Gaza when drawing up and implementing their procurement policies.

“We shouldn’t be suppressing free speech, legitimate debate and human rights campaigning — and we shouldn’t be in the business of investigating public officials for their opinions on important human rights issues.”