Glasgow uni urged to drop investment in arms trade

Shameful Glasgow University has been called upon by campaigners and MSP John Finnie to drop its investment in the arms trade.

The university, which late last year agreed to withdraw investment from fossil fuels, holds endowment funds of over half a million pounds in both QinetiQ and BAE systems, both of which manufacture weapons and have been known to sell to dictatorships.

BAE systems, which has factories on the Clyde, is the world’s third largest arms dealing company, known to sell to allied Saudi Arabia, a country which has used exports to suppress pro-democracy protesters.

John Finnie MSP said: “Students at Glasgow University were rightly praised for getting the University to divest in fossil fuel industries and it’s therefore disappointing to find the university’s investment portfolio includes the pernicious arms trade.”

Sam Robinson, university coordinator for the Campaign Against Arms Trade said: “Glasgow University should dis-invest in these arms companies immediately and establish an ethical investment policy.

“The arms trade is not a legitimate industry and should not be treated as one. These are companies that directly profit from, and encourage, oppression, global insecurity and conflict.”

In reply to this campaign the university stated only that they “have a very clear socially responsible policy on investment and regularly review all of their investments.”

The Campaign Against Arms Trade cause has been ongoing,but it doesn’t look like Glasgow Uni will be speaking up any time soon.