THE Scottish Parliament Pension Scheme has been urged to fully divest from Tesla and any other companies owned by Elon Musk.
It comes after we told how the scheme has holdings in Tesla through Baillie Gifford, which controls the fund.
Scottish Greens MSP Mark Ruskell previously wrote to the chair of the board of trustees, Pauline McNeill, to urge trustees to “actively divest” from any Tesla Inc stocks managed by external fund manager, Baillie Gifford.
In his letter, Ruskell said he believes the “toxicity” of Musk and by association Tesla “contravenes” the fund’s Statement of Investment Principles.
On Thursday, Ruskell raised the issue again at Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) questions.
He said: “It is quite clear that Elon Musk has promoted extremism and misinformation.
“I welcome the news that Baillie Gifford who runs our pension funds has been reducing their investment in Tesla. I would like to see total divestment from all Elon Musk’s companies as well.
“Will members reflect on the fact that the Scottish Parliament Pension Scheme is conducting its triannual review? The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body as an employer could and should encourage all members of the scheme to give feedback on these kinds of ethical issues.”
Responding, fellow Greens MSP Maggie Chapman, representing the SPCB, said the SPCB would have "further discussions about how to best consult members of the pension scheme" and that it would "come back to Parliament on that".
She added that she was "sure" Baillie Gifford would be taking into account changes in the valuation of Tesla, as reports this week confirmed shares in the electric car firm Tesla fell more than 15%, largely due to fear about Tesla meeting production targets and a drop in sales over the past year.
Meanwhile, Scottish Tory MSP Brian Whittle said Ruskell's question was "another example of student politics".
He added that if such a move were to go ahead, it would involve looking at "the whole supply chain behind any manufacturers or investments", which he said would be "an impossible task".
Musk – who also owns the social media platform Twitter/X – has attracted global outrage in recent months after endorsing the likes of far-right political actor Tommy Robinson.
He was also seen making a potential “Heil Hitler” salute during President Donald Trump’s inauguration in front of 20,000 people.
The Scottish Parliament has been contacted for comment.
