The All-Party Parliamentary Group on British Jews has elected Christian Wakeford MP as its new Co-Chair. The APPG on British Jews brings together parliamentarians from across the political spectrum to broaden and deepen connections between Parliament and the UK Jewish community. The Board of Deputies is the group’s Secretariat.
At the meeting on 20 July, Board of Deputies staff briefed MPs and Peers on the organisation’s latest work on the Covid-19 response for the Jewish community and religious freedom issues. This included discussion of the death statistics for the Jewish community that the Board of Deputies has been collating, as well as updates to the organ donation system in England. Vice Chair of the APPG Lord Palmer of Child’s Hill chaired the meeting, which was attended by parliamentarians from across both Houses and various political parties.
Co-Chair of the APPG Christian Wakeford, MP for Bury South, said “I am excited to have been elected as Co-Chair of the APPG on British Jews. The coronavirus outbreak has thrown up real challenges for the Jewish community and I believe that building close relationships is the key to overcoming these, as I have seen in my constituency. In that vein, am looking forward to working with parliamentary colleagues and the Board of Deputies on this and other issues affecting the British Jewish community.”
Co-Chair of the APPG Wes Streeting, MP for Ilford North, said: “I am very pleased that Christian has been elected as Co-Chair of the APPG for British Jews. I am looking forward to working with him to represent the concerns of the British Jewish community, which has been particularly affected by the coronavirus pandemic. We both represent proud Jewish communities locally, and I’m delighted to continue to support the community nationally through the work of the APPG.”
Board of Deputies Chief Executive Gillian Merron said: “We are delighted that Christian will take on the role of Co-Chair for the APPG. We know that in his short time as an MP for Bury South he has already forged close links with the Jewish community in north Manchester, and we look forward to working with him on key issues for the whole community in the future.”