Former Tory minister Sir Alan Duncan is again facing claims of antisemitism after suggesting party leadership contender Robert Jenrick’s pro-Israel stance may result from “family connections which have a Jewish link”.
Ex-foreign office minister Duncan, investigated, but cleared by the Tories over further antisemitism claims in April, was questioned on the YouTube channel Palestine Deep Dive about his view on Jenrick.
He said: “Now this man is an extremist … he does not believe in any kind of two state solution, although he says he does. He knows nothing about it.
“He takes his script entirely from the Conservative Friends of Israel and the Israelis, so he would be a disaster if he were leader of the Conservative Party.”
Robert Jenrick and Lord Polak
Duncan then gave his view on why he believed Jenrick was such a staunch supporter of Israel, adding he displayed “extremism born of ignorance”.
“But there’s also family connections which have a Jewish link,” added Duncan. “But just because someone’s Jewish doesn’t mean that they have to agree with Netanyahu.”
Jenrick, battling Kemi Badenoch to become the next Tory leader, and whose wife is a Jewish Israeli, responded saying: “There’s a word for those that accuse politicians of being controlled by the Israelis because of Jewish family members.
“Sir Alan has already been investigated for antisemitism once. These views have no place in our party.”
But Duncan told The Sun he was the victim of “textbook abusemitism”, a term he is attempting to coin that means an unjustified accusation of antisemitism meant to “bully or silence”.
In April Duncan faced an investigation after claiming the Conservative Friends of Israel group was doing “the bidding” of Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Jenrick learns this week if he secured enough backing to lead the Tories.
