Pro-Palestinian councillor shuns diversity award, claiming sponsor HSBC ‘funds genocide'
A pro-Palestinian councillor has refused to accept an award nomination after claiming its sponsor funds genocide in Gaza.
Ismail Uddin accused HSBC of 'supporting the brutality and genocide against the Palestinian people' in a long post he self-published on the awards' own website.
The National Diversity Awards, to be hosted by broadcaster Clare Balding in September, aims to 'honour the incredible achievements of individuals, community organisations, role models, entrepreneurs and celebrities' who 'strive to promote diversity and inclusion in all its forms', according to its website.
HSBC is the headline sponsor and Coral Taylor, the bank's head of inclusion and diversity, is on its panel of judges, alongside TV personality and activist Katie Piper.
Cllr Uddin, who sits on Bradford council as an independent, was nominated for the awards' age category by an unknown nominee.
However, the councillor, who is understood to be in his early 20s, spurned the nomination and wrote a lengthy post in a personal statement, which the website allowed nominees to fill in themselves.
He said: 'Throughout the multitude of global outcry to Israel's apartheid and invasions, HSBC continues to offer financial services, investments, and loans to corporations that manufacture the very weapons, military technology, and surveillance technologies against Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied territories.'
Cllr Uddin previously photographs of himself attending a 'silent vigil for Palestine' on the first anniversary of the Oct 7 attacks.
In his post he went on to accuse HSBC of 'plugging money' into 'maintaining Israel's illegal settlements'.
He added: 'With these financial ties, HSBC is complicit in the violence and continued suffering of Palestinians. No bank should finance a genocide – full stop.
'I wholeheartedly reject this nomination and refuse to be associated with such companies that have no morals.'
The post, which appeared to have been published in April, was taken down hours after The Telegraph approached the awards for a comment.
A spokesman claimed this action was taken as scheduled this week for nominees who did not wish to be considered for an award, as the judging stage was reached.
In a post published on his Instagram account in April, Cllr Uddin thanked his anonymous nominee for a 'beautiful statement' before explaining why he had rejected the nomination.
Directing his 780 followers to a link to his profile page on the site, he wrote: 'You can read more about HSBC and their complicity here, where I've used the 'statement about yourself' part to tell them exactly why I'd rather utilise my day for something else.'
HSBC is not the only bank to be targeted by pro-Palestine protesters.
Barclays has faced heavy criticism for its alleged relationships with defence firms that produce equipment used by the Israeli Defense Forces.
Dozens of its branches have been defaced and vandalised by pro-Palestine activists and customers have been urged to boycott the bank.
On Saturday, thousands of pro-Palestine protesters took to the streets days in action against Israel's air strikes on Iran.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for the National Diversity Awards said: 'Ismail Uddin was given a very positive nomination that highlighted his various achievements and was approved to proceed to the judging stage. As with all accepted nominees, we offered Cllr Uddin the opportunity to complete his profile for our website.
'As we reach the judging stage for the awards, as we have this week, any nominees who don't wish to be considered for an award are removed from the process and their profile withdrawn from the website. Cllr Uddin's profile can no longer be seen as a result.'
A spokesman for HSBC declined to comment.
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