Government funding for arms companies ‘morally incoherent’, warns Oxfam

The Scottish Government has been slammed as “morally incoherent” after providing cash to arms firms involved in hostilities in Gaza.

The Government’s commercial arm Scottish Enterprise has provided funding to firms operating in Scotland which provide products to Israel – though the agency has repeatedly said the cash is for research, training and apprenticeships rather than munitions.

Ahead of a debate brought by the Scottish Greens on Wednesday, Jamie Livingstone – the head of Oxfam Scotland – called for funding to be halted.

He said: “A fragile ceasefire does not mean an end to the suffering in Gaza. Thousands of people have been killed, entire communities wiped out, and the Israeli blockade continues to limit essential aid.

“Against this brutal backdrop, it’s utterly indefensible that Scottish taxpayers’ money has flowed to arms companies selling components to Israel, including those used in Israel’s F-35 fighter jets – the same jets which have been relentlessly bombing Gaza.

“The Scottish Government’s humanitarian aid to Gaza and its condemnation of war crimes have shown moral leadership, but they’re morally incoherent with bankrolling the very firms enabling them.

“Assurances that public funds aren’t used directly for weapons manufacturing don’t wash when the companies themselves are profiting from this humanitarian catastrophe.

“It’s time for the Scottish Government to end public funding for arms firms fuelling the devastation in Gaza.”

The Greens will call for Government action during the debate on Wednesday – which the party has called in its opposition debating time.

Ahead of the debate, a spokeswoman for Scottish Enterprise said: “Our role as Scotland’s national economic development agency is to support economic growth and create high-value jobs.

“Our support for defence companies is consistent with Scottish and UK government policies, and we make it clear to those businesses, through legally binding contracts, that our help can only be used to deliver agreed projects in Scotland.

“None of the projects we support involves the manufacture of munitions or weaponry.”

A spokesman for the Scottish Government said: “The Scottish Government and its enterprise and skills agencies do not provide funding for the manufacture of munitions.

“Support for defence sector companies is focused on helping firms to diversify their activities and technologies, ensuring Scotland continues to benefit from significant economic returns and thousands of jobs in the sector.

“Export licensing is reserved to the UK Government. The Scottish Government continues to call for an end to all licences for arms exports from the United Kingdom to Israel.”