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**Pension Funds Investing in Arms Manufacturers**

**Investment Policies**: Some UK pension funds, such as Aviva, Royal London, and Nest, have policies that restrict or block investments in the defense industry on ethical grounds[3](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/03/06/top-pension-funds-refuse-to-back-defence-industry/). However, there are also efforts to encourage pension funds to support defense initiatives, particularly in light of geopolitical tensions[1](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/03/05/pension-savings-spent-rearming-britain-defence-push/).

**Local Government Pension Schemes (LGPS)**: LGPS funds have been found to invest billions in companies linked to arms production, including those supplying Israel with weapons. This includes investments in firms like BAE Systems and Caterpillar[4](https://bylinetimes.com/2025/02/06/uk-local-council-pension-funds-are-investing-billions-in-companies-enabling-israeli-apartheid/).

**Ethical Considerations**: Ethical concerns are a significant factor in investment decisions. Some councils, like Waltham Forest, have chosen to divest from companies associated with the arms trade due to ethical beliefs[2](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cnd074r6gxpo).

### **Plans to Bolster Defense with Pension Funds**

**Mansion House Compact**: Plans are underway to revise the Mansion House Compact, a voluntary agreement among pension providers, to include "national resilience" as a key objective. This could direct billions of pounds from pension savings into defense initiatives[1](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/03/05/pension-savings-spent-rearming-britain-defence-push/).

**Government Support**: The government is working to ensure that defense-related investments are not hindered by environmental, social, and governance (ESG) regulations. This includes efforts by the Chancellor and Defense Secretary to facilitate investments in the defense sector[1](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/03/05/pension-savings-spent-rearming-britain-defence-push/)[3](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/03/06/top-pension-funds-refuse-to-back-defence-industry/).

### **Political and Public Perspectives**

**Labour MPs' Stance**: Over 100 Labour MPs have signed an open letter advocating for weapons manufacturers to be considered ethical investments, marking a shift in Labour's stance on defense investments[7](https://order-order.com/2025/03/06/mps-call-for-weapons-manufacturers-to-be-ethical-investments-in-labour-u-turn/).

**Public Debate**: The debate on whether defense investments should be considered ethical is ongoing, with some arguing that national security should take precedence over ethical concerns[3](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/03/06/top-pension-funds-refuse-to-back-defence-industry/)[7](https://order-order.com/2025/03/06/mps-call-for-weapons-manufacturers-to-be-ethical-investments-in-labour-u-turn/).

### **Citations:**

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/03/05/pension-savings-spent-rearming-britain-defence-push/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cnd074r6gxpo

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/03/06/top-pension-funds-refuse-to-back-defence-industry/

https://bylinetimes.com/2025/02/06/uk-local-council-pension-funds-are-investing-billions-in-companies-enabling-israeli-apartheid/

https://www.declassifieduk.org/why-is-an-ethical-investor-funding-arms-companies/

https://www.room151.co.uk/local-government-pension-scheme-investment/high-time-for-the-pension-industry-to-support-defence-in-europe-and-the-uk/

https://order-order.com/2025/03/06/mps-call-for-weapons-manufacturers-to-be-ethical-investments-in-labour-u-turn/

https://www.avonpensionfund.org.uk/news/2024/investments-and-conflict-affected-areas

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