WHEN ONLY THE LAW DEFEATS CAMPUS BOYCOTTERS

Thank you for Marcus Dysch’s report on the stunning victory at King’s College London (KCL) ( Students made to back down on Israel boycott, April 4).

Student unions in England became charities in 2010, making them subject to charity law. Their funds can therefore be used only to further their charitable purposes, broadly defined as the welfare of their student members, not to fund anti-Israel activities.

This was tested last year when a student at University College London complained to the Charity Commission about an anti-Israel referendum promoted by the UCL students’ union.

In December, after an investigation of more than six months, the commission concluded that, whereas it is a valid activity for student unions to discuss political matters, expenditure of union funds in implementing the proposals of the anti-Israel referendum was not. This success could not have been achieved without the outstanding and tireless assistance of UK Lawyers for Israel.

At KCL, the students did indeed “rise up” — without this, our opponents would go on having free rein on campus. They made constructive and rational arguments, appealing to people’s better judgment. But the determined BDS promoters on campus did not listen even to such fine interventions as these. That’s when only the law works.

I know this, because I am the UCL student who made the earlier complaint. Susan Storring, Chanctonbury Way, Woodside Park London N12