libdempositive
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8/9/2019 LibDempositive
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A lot of people in Hendon are contacting me to say that they are voting Liberal
Democrat this time, including many people in our community. With all the publicity
that my party has received over the less positive aspects of its relationship with the
Anglo-Jewish community, here is a list of some rather more positive achievements
1. Nick Clegg opposes UK participation in anti-Semitic UN conference
In March 2009, Nick Clegg became the only party leader to call on the UK
Government to boycott the next month’s Durban II Conference. The first Durban
Conference in 2001 heard a large amount of anti-Semitic speeches and statements and
there was no reason to believe that the 2009 conference, taking place in Geneva,
would be different. The US, Australia, Germany, Canada, Israel, Italy, the
Netherlands and New Zealand all boycotted the conference in advance, but the UK
sent a delegation. On 20 April 2009, Nick Clegg said: “Alarm bells in Downing
Street should have started ringing when it was announced that President Ahmadinejad
was to address the conference.
“The previous anti-racism conference in Durban descended into the most horrific anti-
Semitic and one-sided rant against Israel. The resulting open expressions of racism
undermined the very goals the conference sought to achieve. Countries like the USA,
Australia, Germany and the Netherlands have all sensibly stayed away from Geneva,
and we should have too. Following President Ahmadinejad’s crass and unfair speech
this morning, Gordon Brown should send a signal that this deplorable anti-Semitism
is never acceptable and recall our delegation.”
In his 2009 address to the conference, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
accused Israel of being racist and created on the “pretext of Jewish suffering” from
the Second World War.
2. Nick Clegg gives annual lecture to the European Institute for the Study of
Contemporary Anti-Semitism (EISCA)
On 15 June 2009, Nick Clegg spoke out about how to combat the rise in anti-Semitic
attacks in the EISCA annual lecture at Parliament. EISCA’s advisory board includes
Liberal Democrats Fiyaz Mughal (a columnist for Jewish News) and Lord Dholakia (a
former party president). The Times reported on the content of his speech at:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article6498148.ece
In an article in the Jewish Chronicle on 11 June 2009 to accompany his lecture, Nick
wrote that the BNP’s success is due to public anger, not to proportional
representation.
He said that: “…while voting for the Far Right would have been unthinkable for many
people just a matter of months ago, it is now a seemingly acceptable, seemingly
rational choice...So, with greater urgency than ever, it is up to mainstream politicians
to drain the deepening swamp of support manipulated by dangerous fringe parties.
Central to that is a fundamental clean-up of our political system; one which regains
the trust of the British people and which hands back power.
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5. Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary Chris Huhne condemned the
significant rise in anti-Semitic attacks as reported by the Community Security Trust
(CST) in July 2009. Mr Huhne has been among the most prominent British
politicians in the fight against anti-Semitism, having been a member of the All-PartyParliamentary Committee Against Anti-Semitism that reported in 2006.
Chris Huhne said: "Britain is setting a shameful new record in anti-Semitic incidents
this year, which are running at double the annual rate of the previous record. It is
completely abhorrent that anyone should be intimidated on the grounds of their race,
colour, gender, sexuality or creed. We must stand firm against intolerance shown to
any minority if we are to preserve a civilised society. It is absurd that home-grown
bigots should hold British Jews responsible for the actions of a foreign government.
We cannot have overseas conflicts echoed on Britain's streets."
6. Chris Huhne’s speech at launch of Jewish anti-BNP campaign
On 30 April 2009, Chris Huhne was among the speakers at the Young Jewish Political
Network’s launch of the “Your Voice or Theirs” campaign. The campaign aimed to
maximise turnout in June’s local and European elections, to make it harder for the far-
right British National Party (BNP) to win many seats. The campaign is credited with
helping to prevent the election of more than two BNP MEPs, with none being elected
from London. At the launch event, Mr Huhne made a well-received speech and
participated in a lengthy debate and question-and-answer session; I was present,
having helped arrange for Mr Huhne to be there.
7. Lib Dem Shadow Foreign Secretary visits Israel
Ed Davey, Liberal Democrat Shadow Foreign Secretary, wrote the following article
for Jewish News after his 2008 fact-finding visit, on which he was briefed by a range
of senior Israeli figures: http://www.totallyjewish.com/news/special_reports/?
content_id=10747
8. Lib Dem policy on faith schools
At its Spring Conference in March 2009, the party voted in favour of allowing state-
funded faith schools to continue selecting pupils by faith. The Conference rejected
calls to ban new state faith schools. Welcoming the vote, Jon Benjamin, Chief
Executive of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, told the Jewish Chronicle: “It is
significant that, following a full debate and significant lobbying by those who want to
undermine the essential nature of faith schools, the Liberal Democrats have
nevertheless voted to support parents’ rights to choose.” The BBC’s report of the
debate (in which I spoke) can be found here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7930628.stm
9. Liberal Democrat Policy on Middle East
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Liberal Democrats have always been committed to Israel’s right to thrive in peace and
security, alongside a viable Palestinian state, as part of a negotiated two-state solution.
If you want to know what my party thinks re:- foreign policy, then here is the most
recent party conference speech of our Shadow Foreign Secretary, Ed Davey:
http://www.libdems.org.uk/news_detail.aspx?title=Speech
%3A_Edward_Davey_delivers_his_speech_to_Liberal_Democrat_Conference&pPK
=98180c8e-0a03-4cc1-8a83-7e2769bd086e
10. Liberal Democrat opposition to the academic boycott of Israel
The Liberal Democrats have been steadfastly opposed to all calls for an academic
boycott of Israel. Alone among the three main British parties, the Liberal Democrats
passed a party conference motion (written by me, and passed overwhelmingly)
condemning the boycott, as reported by the Jerusalem Post on 17 September 2007:
http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?id=75518
11. Sarah Ludford MEP re-elected to European Parliament
Sarah Ludford, one of Israel’s most consistent friends in the European Parliament,
was re-elected as the Lib Dem MEP for London in June’s European election. Sarah,
who in 2007 received an award from the Israeli Ambassador for supporting Israel, has
always been a prominent voice on issues of concern to the Jewish community. Her
website reports many instances of this, including this example:
http://www.sarahludfordmep.org.uk/news/001164/antisemitism_calls_for_vigorous_r
efutation_as_well_as_prosecution.html
12. Tom Brake MP at launch of “Towards a London Jewish Manifesto”
Tom Brake MP, the Lib Dems’ spokesperson on London, spoke at the all-party launch
of the London Jewish Forum’s “Towards a London Jewish Manifesto” at City Hall on
Wednesday 8 July 2009. In his speech, Mr Brake referred to rising anti-Semitism,
committing the party to fight racism and hate crime.
13. Liberal Democrat Friends of Israel
Liberal Democrat Friends of Israel (LDFI) is a group of party members committed to
voicing Israel’s side of the argument in all Lib Dem debates. Led by its president, the
former Lib Dem Deputy Leader the Right Honourable Sir Alan Beith MP, LDFI
campaigns for the party’s policy of a two-state solution that would allow Israel to
thrive in peace and security alongside a viable Palestinian state. LDFI members’
activities include writing for party publications, speaking in party conference debates,
and proposing their own motions and amendments for such debates. LDFI also meets
often with Lib Dem parliamentarians, including the party leadership. At each year’s
party conference, LDFI runs a well-attended fringe meeting and a week-long stallgiving out information about Israel. LDFI also advises the Lib Dem leadership on
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