Now the National Trust is under pressure to drop Barclays over Israel and fossil fuel complicity

Fossil Free London activists unfurled a large banner reading ‘National Trust: Protect Nature, Drop Barclays’ across a tower at the iconic Bodiam Castle, East Sussex, on Friday 21 June. the protest was over the organisation’s links to the fossil fuels and arms manufacturer-supporting bank.

Barclays: climate-wrecking investments

Bodiam Castle, which was built in 1385 and is famous for its beautiful, moated setting, is one of hundreds of sites owned by the National Trust; the guardian of nature reserves, national parks, coastline, historic buildings and estates across the country.

Activists claimed the National Trust were ‘hypocrites’ for banking with Barclays, Europe’s worst funder of fossil fuels since the Paris Agreement, drawing attention to one of the trust’s core aims; to protect nature and climate. In 2023 alone, Barclays provided $24.221bn of financing to fossil fuel companies:

Recently, other institutions have announced their intentions to stop banking with Barclays for ethical reasons. Christian Aid and Oxfam have removed their funds from Barclays already. Cambridge University is withdrawing its support for Barclays and is leading a group of universities and colleges that are investigating more sustainable financial products.

Pressure is building on Barclays and those institutions with links to the bank, since its sponsorship of Latitude, Download and Isle of Wight festivals was suspended when bands threatened to withdraw from the festivals because of Barclays funding of arms used by Israel against Palestinians in Gaza.

Barclays Bank holds over £1bn in shares and provides over £3bn in loans and underwriting to nine companies whose weapons, components, and military technology are being used by Israel in its genocidal attacks on Palestinians.

Complicit in Israel’s genocide

This includes General Dynamics, which produces the gun systems that arm the fighter jets used by Israel to bombard Gaza, and Elbit Systems, which produces armoured drones, munitions, and artillery weapons used by the Israeli military.

Amongst Barclays £3bn investments and loans in companies facilitating the Gaza genocide, the bank holds shares in Elbit Systems which is the primary target of Palestine Action’s campaign. Elbit Systems provide 85% of Israel’s military drone fleet and land-based equipment, as well as bombs, missiles and other weaponry.

The Israeli weapons maker market their weapons as “battle-tested” after they are developed during bombardments on occupied Palestine.

Joanna Warrington, spokesperson for Fossil Free London, said:

The National Trust’s core mission is to protect our environment, nature and heritage; but they are failing to do this for as long as they bank with Barclays. Because our world and all we love in it is in crisis, yet Barclays is still pouring billions into the fossil fuels destroying it. It’s time for the National Trust to stand up and protect nature, by ending their relationship with this oily bank.

Featured image via Fossil Free London