Letter: What I Said About Barclay’s Bank Was Incorrect

Published on: 23 Aug, 2025
Updated on: 23 Aug, 2025

Simon Higgins speaking at the full council meeting.

From Richard Lucas

lead councillor for Finance at Guildford Borough Council

In response to: I Was Shut Down at GBC’s Full Council Meeting

Thank you for offering me the opportunity to respond to the points raised by Mr Higgins in his recent letter to the Guildford Dragon.

I would like to start by reiterating my position, and that of GBC, that the current situation in Gaza is intolerable, and that we wholeheartedly wish to see an immediate end to the conflict and suffering there.

The statement I made about Barclays’ involvement in Israeli Government bond auctions at the full council meeting on 29 July was based on the advice and information available. In hindsight this was not an accurate reflection of the current situation. It has since come to the council’s attention that Barclays continues to take part in Israeli Government bond auctions. The council leader has written to Mr Higgins and all councillors informing them of this correction.

During that council meeting, the rules of the GBC Constitution for making statements to full council by the public were complied with. Responses to statements are not published in advance, and there is no opportunity to follow up a statement with a question.

Should Mr Higgins wish to raise this matter at future meetings of the council, he may wish to lobby his local ward councillor(s) on bringing a motion to full council or utilise his right to ask a public question.

According to the rules of the constitution answers to questions from members of the public are published in advance, and questioners have the opportunity to ask a supplementary question.

I would like to close by once again affirming our position that suffering in Gaza must end.

Responses to Letter: What I Said About Barclay’s Bank Was Incorrect

Angela Richardson Reply

August 23, 2025 at 6:43 pm

The second sentence of this comment has been amended.

Local authorities should prioritise delivery of quality local services that are good value for local residents.

GBC have an additional term deposit that if they break it will cost taxpayers money. Cllr Lucas should maintain his position and not incur a break clause penalty.

Bringing motions that effectively relate to foreign policy at local council is performative politics and solves nothing for those who are suffering thousands of miles away.

Local residents with foreign policy and international relations concerns have their Member of Parliament to lobby and to represent them in Westminster.

In the meantime, GBC have their statutory responsibilities to get on with and vulnerable residents here to serve.

Angela Richardson is the former Conservative MP for Guildford.
- Jeremy Holt Reply
  
  August 25, 2025 at 1:35 pm
  
  Angela Richardson is absolutely correct.
  
  However, most political activists will deplore her comment.
  
  The politicians who control all our lives need to focus their minds rather than posture.
A Powles Reply

August 24, 2025 at 8:05 pm

I think GBC needs to keep its nose out of foreign politics.
Simon Higgins Reply

August 25, 2025 at 9:51 pm

Highlighting that GBC’s investments in Barclays are aiding Israel’s genocide of the Palestinian people is not a “performance”. It is happening in front of our eyes on a daily basis.

I welcome the fact that GBC has withdrawn one of its investments in Barclays. Angela Richardson weighs up the options of divesting the additional term deposit from Barclays and incurring a financial penalty, or continuing to invest in a bank funding genocide. Unsurprisingly she concludes that more Palestinian deaths are a price worth paying.

Rather than adopting Ms Richardson’s policy of washing our hands of those who are suffering thousands of miles away, we can help at a local level, and should do so wherever possible. Many other public authorities have divested from Barclays and GBC should follow suit.

When in office Angela Richardson voted against a ceasefire in Gaza and the genocide continues.

In January 2024 the International Court of Justice stated that;

“The State of Israel shall, in accordance with its obligations under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, in relation to the Palestinian people as a group protected by the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, desist from the commission of any and all acts within the scope of Article II of the Convention.”

https://www.icj-cij.org/node/203454

A month later in February 2024, Angela Richardson stated that: “Israel’s actions cannot be described as genocide.” Angela Richardson chose to reject International Law.

I agree wholeheartedly with Angela Richardson when she says: “Local authorities should prioritise delivery of quality local services that are good value for local residents.”

Does she believe the same of MPs? When MP for Guildford, Angela Richardson claimed over £62k in accommodation rent in London (a 35 minute train journey from Guildford). She lost her seat in July 2024, yet continued to claim rental costs for her constituency office up to Nov 2024. Does this represent good value for local residents?

https://www.parallelparliament.co.uk/mp/angela-richardson/expenses
- Angela Richardson Reply
  
  August 27, 2025 at 1:56 pm
  
  Very happy to explain my expenses. When elected in 2019 my family home was in the village of Ewhurst in the old constituency of Guildford which included Cranleigh. It was a three hour daily round trip to either commute by car or to commute from Effingham Junction by train as the car park is cheaper than Guildford. Unlike many MPs during covid I was working, voting and giving speeches in Westminster, not at home unless we were completely locked down and asked not to attend. Many MPs had empty Westminster flats paid for by taxpayers. I did not.
  
  When the boundary changes were confirmed and Ewhurst was not in the new constituency, I gave up my flat in Westminster and moved my main home with my husband into the town centre in Guildford, which I funded myself and then I was in a position to commute daily by train from Guildford.
  
  There were many things I could have claimed for on expenses to do my work travelling across the constituency which I self-funded.
  
  A better comparison would be to look at my expenses in relation to other MPs of all parties for the period on 2019-2024 to see that I was well below average in expenses.
  
  MPs were given four months to handover open cases, close down their offices and make their staff redundant. I had entered into a contract for my very small, discreet office based in Onslow with a notice period which I triggered immediately following the election. Perhaps if Mr Higgins compared my office rent with the current MP he would see that I went out of my way to be as light on the taxpayer as possible in a town that has high commercial rent costs.
  
  When Covid hit in 2020, I immediately terminated my contract for my office by the Guilford train station because I sensibly had a rolling monthly contract. Many MPs had entered into lengthy rental agreements and their offices sat empty. I did not get another office in Guildford until well after Covid had ended, out of necessity to bring my team together to work effectively and efficiently for the people of Guildford.
  
  Yes I do believe MPs should be as light as they can personally afford on expenses. Each MP will have different financial circumstances and they should be able to claim what they need to do the job effectively. I hope Mr Higgins will agree that personal finances should not be a barrier to people seeking to represent their community.
  
  Angela Richardson is the former Conservative MP for Guildford.