COUNCILLORS in Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s London constituency were forced to consider divestment from arms firms backing Israel after mass local pressure.

But Camden’s Labour ruling group fudged the issue by referring a petition signed by more than 4,000 residents of the north London borough to its pensions committee.

The debate was preceded by a large demonstration outside the Town Hall as many hundreds demanded that the council act to move £83 million its pension fund has invested in arms companies supplying weapons to Israel.

The anger spilled over into the council chamber, with the public gallery shouting “shame on you” at councillors.

Leading the delegation presenting the petition, British-Palestinian Camden resident Lubaba Khalid told the council about her family members murdered by Israel with weapons the council helped to fund.

“I am a Palestinian from Gaza. It is not right that my local council is investing £83m in the destruction of my family and their homes,” she said.

She was joined by Holocaust survivor Stephen Kapos, who told the Star: “My council should not support companies that invest in supplying arms to facilitate the genocide.”

And Camden Unison branch secretary Liz Wheatley said: “My members pay into the pension fund and they do not want to be forced to be complicit in a war of occupation.”

Green councillor Lorna Jane Russell warned colleagues they risked being “on the wrong side of history.”

“This is about moral leadership, not legalities,” she said. 

“We should not profit from the suffering of others.”

Last year, the Labour councillors refused even to consider the issue.

Anna Burrage argued that divestment from arms firms would compromise commitment to Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s growth plan.

The council leadership eventually agreed to accept the petition. 

The pensions committee will study how to extend the ethical dimension of the council’s investments.

Camden Friends of Palestine said: “Camden Council has failed to take a clear position of principle, that it will not remain invested in international criminality.

“The ball is now in the pension committee’s court. The people of Camden have sent a strong message, and the council must listen and act now.

“We expect the committee to consider this issue in detail at its next meeting, and make a principled commitment to divestment without further delay.”

A small group of Israel supporters, some of whom were known associates of far-right leader Tommy Robinson, attempted to disrupt the demonstration on Euston Road.