The Church of England has invested up to £10m in one of the world’s major arms firms, which supplies systems and technology for unmanned drones and jets to conflicts around the world. The discovery, on the eve of what is set to be the biggest day of protests against DSEi ”“ the UK’s leading arms fair ”“ in Docklands, London, tomorrow, has led worshippers to accuse church leaders of profiting from conflict.
The Church Commissioners and Church of England Pensions Board are both shareholders in General Electric (GE), with shareholdings up to £10m. Yesterday, the Church defended the investment, claiming less than 3 per cent of GE’s business was based in arms sales.
But the firm, along with its key subsidiary General Aviation, is a leading supplier of “integrated systems and technologies” for combat aircraft, military transport, helicopters, land vehicles and unmanned aerial vehicles ”“ better known as drones.
I hope they will also divest of all assets having anything to do with food production. I was in the military for 21 years and noticed on more than one occasion that soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines eat food. I, of course was shocked to discovery this and reported it to my bishop immediately.