Beadle condemns Israel boycott

A senior north east Liberal Democrat has condemned the decision by the academics' union to boycott Israel.

Ron Beadle, who will contest Newcastle North at the next General Election, is an academic at Northumbria University and has just written a chapter in a book edited by an Israeli don from Tel Aviv.

The boycott will be debated by the Liberal Democrats at its autumn conference in Brighton on Sunday (September 15) and Ron intends to address conference.

Speaking before the debate, Councillor Beadle said: "The academics' union simply has no right to tell its members - of whom I am one - who they can and cannot work with.

"Whatever the criticisms of Israel are, the boycott of academic work on collaborative projects aimed to improve health, the environment, engineering and other subjects will not resolve them.

"I am delighted that the Liberal Democrats are debating the boycott at our conference and hope that the party will vote decisively in favour of academic freedom."