Kemi Badenoch met with leaders of the Jewish community today, reaffirming her commitment to “tackling antisemitism”.
The Leader of the Opposition hosted Board of Deputies President Phil Rosenberg, Jewish Leadership Council CEO Claudia Mendoza and Community Security Trust CEO Mark Gardner in her Westminster office, their first since she was elected in November.
They spoke about the rise of antisemitism and extremism on Britain’s streets, online and in universities, schools and workplaces over since the October 7 attacks and discussed a range of means to drive back hatred and promote community cohesion.
The communal figures also thanked Badenoch and her party for their supportive stance with regard to Israel.
In particular, the Tories’ opposition to the suspension of arms sales to the Jewish State was noted, and the group expressed gratitude for Badenoch for her personal advocacy for the October 7 hostages and the victims of sexual violence during the Hamas atrocities.
They concluded by discussing the ongoing challenge of media bias against Israel, including in the BBC.
In a statement, the group said: “In our first meeting with Kemi Badenoch as Conservative leader, we thanked her for her allyship to the Jewish community and to Israel over many years. We look forward to working with Kemi Badenoch towards a better, safer and more cohesive United Kingdom”.
One source present at the meeting told the JC that they thought she “got it” when it came to the threats facing the community today.
However, the JC understands that concerns over former minister Sir Alan Duncan weren’t raised directly with Badenoch at the meeting.
A complaint against the former MP for Rutland and Melton was dismissed by the Conservative Party after he said that Robert Jenrick, whose wife is Jewish and was born in Israel, took his “script” from “the Israelis”.
After the meeting, Badenoch said she “enjoyed meeting representatives of the Jewish community from the Board of Deputies, Community Security Trust, and the Jewish Leadership Council.
“I reaffirmed my party’s commitment to tackling antisemitism, promoting community cohesion in the UK, and holding the government to account on these critical issues”, she added.