At the company’s Annual General Meeting on Wednesday (4th September 2024) James Cropper PLC shareholders asked several questions about the involvement of the Burneside company in supplying materials known to be used in the manufacture of Israel's F35 war planes. They were far from satisfied with the answers they received.
Whilst peace campaigners gathered outside the Bryce Institute calling on James Cropper PLC to “Make Beautiful Paper, Not Israel’s F35s” and distributing leaflets which highlighted the impact of Israel’s attacks on Gaza, particularly the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians, shareholders attending the meeting sought clarification about the company’s involvement in the F35 project from members of the board, especially the chair, Mark Cropper.
In his opening remarks Mr Cropper read out a statement which he said had been released to the press earlier in the day (4th September 2024). He later acknowledged that this was the company’s first public statement to the media in response to the long-running campaign calling on James Cropper PLC ‘to withdraw from their contract producing material for the Lockheed Martin F35 Lightning II which are currently employed by the Israeli Defence Force in their war on Gaza.’
Fiona Goldie from Carlisle asked “What steps is the company taking to diversify away from the defence sector, to ensure that workers are not forced to work on contracts to produce materials that may be used to breach international law?”, commenting later that the answers given made it clear that the company plans to continue to produce materials which are used to build weapons like the F35.
Sam Riches, who is a Lancaster City councillor and former member of Lancashire County Council’s pension fund committee, attended the meeting as a shareholder. She commented that “People buy shares in companies for a variety of reasons. Many will have been attracted to invest in Croppers because of its claim to a ‘multi-award winning commitment to the highest standards of sustainability’ and a published statement of purpose, claiming that ‘Our mission is to build on our strengths by delivering ground breaking ideas that safeguard our future and to be recognized as creators of world-leading solutions that contribute to making our planet a better place.’ It is, therefore profoundly shocking to learn that they are contributing materials used by Lockheed Martin to build war planes that are playing such a central role in the deaths of thousands of children in Gaza and the destruction of their homes, hospitals and schools. Indeed of their whole world. This most definitely does not make our planet a better place”.
Shareholder David Heller from Garsdale handed-in a copy of the StopF35 campaign’s petition which has been signed by several hundred people. He urged Mr Cropper to consider the reputational damage that supplying materials for Israel’s F35s is causing the company.
Philip Gilligan from Storth who first wrote to Croppers about their involvement with the F35 in February said, “I became a shareholder in James Cropper PLC in the hope of finally getting some response from them about this very important matter. I, therefore, welcome the fact that the company has, at long last, issued a statement about it. I also note their acknowledgement of the ‘profound human suffering caused by the ongoing conflict in Gaza’ and their call for ‘a peaceful solution’, but actions would, of course, speak much louder than words. Sadly, it remains clear both that the company has no intention of ceasing to supply materials for F35s and that materials made by James Cropper PLC in Burneside will still be available to build the dozens of extra F35s Israel has ordered but not yet received from Lockheed Martin. Croppers argue that they are at the far end of a very long production line, but it remains an undeniable fact that their material is used to build Israel’s F35s. They have not, and cannot, deny their involvement.”
