Angus Robertson to tour London Jewish institutions
Security and anti-Semitism top agenda as Scottish National Party's Westminster chief meets community leaders
Justin Cohen is the News Editor at the Jewish News
Angus Robertson has said he is looking forward to visiting Jewish institutions in north London after meeting community leaders in Westminster.
Anti-Semitism and security were at the forefront of discussions with the leader of the Scottish National Party in the House of Commons. Social care, education, and religious practise were also on the agenda alongside the Middle East peace process and the campaign to delegitimise Israel, which Robertson and East Renfrewshire MP Kirsten Oswald, whose constituency contains the largest Jewish community in Scotland, rejected.
The delegation – led by the Jewish Leadership Council chair Sir Mick Davis – also featured the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities Ephraim Borowski and representatives from the Board of deputies, CST and Jewish Care. Karen Pollock, chief executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, spoke about a new funding commitment from Nicola Sturgeon to support its Lessons from Auschwitz project and emphasised the importance of continued support for Holocaust education in Scotland.
Sir Mick Davis, Chairman of the Jewish Leadership Council, said: “Today’s meeting with Angus Robertson MP and Kirsten Oswald MP was an excellent opportunity for us to exchange views on a range of important issues to British Jewry. Supporting Jews across the UK, and particularly in Scotland, is central to the JLC’s work and we are pleased that colleagues from various organisations, including SCoJeC, were in attendance.
Both Mr Robertson and Ms Oswald are committed to a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians, utterly rejected the delegitimisation of Israel, and reiterated their commitment and that of the Scottish government to unreservedly combat anti-Semitism in all its forms. Mr Robertson was very engaged and asked that we continue the conversation. We look forward to greater engagement with the Scottish National Party, both in Scotland and Westminster.”
Angus Robertson MP said: “My colleague Kirsten Oswald MP and I were delighted to meet with the Jewish Leadership Council today. This was an important meeting to build on the SNP’s relationship with the Jewish community and an opportunity to reaffirm our message that anti-Semitism is completely unacceptable. Each of us has a role to play ensuring that all forms of bigotry are not tolerated – there is just no place for it in a modern society. I look forward to visiting Jewish institutions in London and to continuing our dialogue with the community.”
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
