Dear John Swinney,
We are writing to you today seeking a clear understanding of the current Scottish Government’s position on boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) against Israel, on Scottish Enterprise funding to arms companies supplying weaponry to Israel, and what specific measures any coming SNP-led government would enact in these matters after the 7 May election.
We remind you of your party’s adoption and the successful carrying of a Green Party amendment in the Scottish Parliament on 3 September 2025, which unequivocally approved the case for BDS against Israel, and your adjoining pledge that no new funding will be given by the Scottish Government to any companies providing weaponry to Israel.
https://www.gov.scot/news/support-for-defence-companies-involved-in-israel-halted
Specifically, the amendment:
“calls on the Scottish and UK governments to immediately impose a package of boycotts, divestment and sanctions targeted at the State of Israel and at companies complicit in its military operations and its occupation of Palestine.”
As you also directly stated:
“In the face of genocide, there can be no business as usual.”
In what appears to be a highly contested electoral field, we hope you understand the vital interest the Palestine-supporting public has in that set of promises, and why they remain to be duly implemented. In short, why has that landmark motion not been adhered to, and should we have any confidence that an incoming SNP administration would be any more willing to fulfil those pledges?
Our FoI and research data show that over £29.4 million1 has been awarded to complicit companies here in Scotland since April 2020, £10.5 million2 of which is still to be distributed.
It is appalling to note that the Scottish Government has handed such sums to arms firms here in Scotland. It is also lamentable that no clear and enduring ending of that support is yet in plain sight.
A particular example of that obfuscation can be seen in these Freedom of Information responses from the Scottish Government’s funding body, Scottish Enterprise, to our enquiry on arms companies’ funding:
1. What companies have Scottish Enterprise been funding, to date, that have known records of supplying weapons/arms components to Israel?
a. We do not hold a record of companies that have supplied weapon/arms components to Israel. This information is not held and therefore section 17 of FOISA applies.
2. Which of those companies has now had that funding terminated?
a. This information is not held and therefore section 17 of FOISA applies.
3. On what specific date was the termination of that funding put into effect?
a. As noted above, the Scottish Government’s policy does not apply retrospectively and so existing agreements are not impacted. This information is therefore not held and section 17 of FOISA applies.
(FoI reply from Scottish Enterprise, 11 December 2025.)
Why, we wonder, would the very government body tasked with allocating so much public money to such companies not know who those companies are, and whether and when Scottish Government funding to them will actually cease?
While we, and much of the public, are concerned with the legal and moral obligations our Scottish Government should be following to help end the genocide in Gaza and wider suffering of Palestinians, we also ask how that governing party could ever have countenanced giving such sums of public money to weapons firms supplying Israel while so much of it is needed for vital social services, addressing austerity, and tackling poverty here in Scotland.
Do many people living in constituencies of multiple deprivation really know about those shameful misallocations of resources?
Isn’t it the dual task of any moral-minded government to terminate all business with a regime intent on genocidal killing, and direct that funding here to life-affirming causes for the poorest and weakest of our society?
Nor can the Scottish Government claim any moral high ground in calling for UK Government sanctions on Israel while it still negates its own BDS and arms embargo responsibilities.
In this crucial Scottish election, we will be considering very closely which parties we feel able to validate, support and commend. We would welcome any representations and assurances you can bring over the dedicated implementation of BDS, and an enduring end to the funding of weapons companies arming Israel.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
GGEC (Arms Companies Team)
Footnotes
- Figures are based on our research and data provided by Scottish Enterprise through Freedom of Information requests. The list of companies researched is not exhaustive and is likely to grow as our investigations continue.
- We have included grant awards to Barclays Execution Services. Barclays funds and holds significant investments in companies supplying weapons to Israel. It also acts as the “primary dealer” for Israeli government bonds, underwriting and providing financial services for the Israeli state and its economy of genocide. Barclays Execution Services is the UK internal service company providing technology, operations, and functional services. The Palestinian BDS National Committee has called for a full boycott of all Barclays services, as well as divestment from the bank, until it ends its grave complicity in Israel’s attacks on Palestinians.
- Referenced figure 1 reduces to £18.3 million if Barclays is excluded, and referenced figure 2 reduces to £9.9 million if Barclays is excluded.