Campaigns launch in divestment referendum

The results of the referendum will shape the SRC’s policy towards arms divestment going forward.

Separate ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ campaigns have launched in the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) divestment referendum. 

It was announced earlier this month that SRC will hold an online referendum between 9am on 26 March and 5pm on 27 March, with results announced the following hour.

Students will be asked, “Should the University of Glasgow stop investing in companies that earn more than 10% of their revenue from the arms and defence industry?” They will have the opportunity to vote “yes” or “no.”

Hillhead Review understands that the SRC has provided £30 of funding to each registered campaign. 

The ‘Yes4Divestment’ campaign has so far been endorsed on Instagram by the Glasgow University Scottish Nationalist Association, Glasgow University Labour Club, Glasgow University Communists, Cheese Society, among others. 

In an extensive campaign statement uploaded to Instagram, Yes4Divestment said: ‘’By investing in arms companies, the University is facilitating global conflicts which violate fundamental human rights. This campaign believes there is no justification to continue with extremely unethical investments.”

The ‘No4Divestment’ campaign have not yet had any public endorsement from University societies, although they have launched a website and said via Instagram: “Divestment involves a great disadvantage for students and staff, it would mean cutting off future opportunities for jobs, research, and funding.

“Case studies have shown that divestment has actually harmed universities more than provide benefits to them, with negligible change in terms of policy from divested firms.”

Published 18 March 2025