Home Secretary Priti Patel offered the Jewish community’s CST security volunteers her “personal thanks, best wishes and gratitude” as part of the Board of Deputies ‘BoDCast’ series.
The Home Secretary was interviewed by the Board of Deputies Chief Executive Gillian Merron during the 45-minute online event, which can be viewed here.
Topics discussed included community security, the upcoming legislation around online harms, Government planning around coronavirus, justice for the Windrush Generation, support for refugees, solidarity with Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities and the new peace agreements between Israel, the UAE and Bahrain.
The Senior Cabinet Minister described the latter development as “welcome and long overdue” and, noting the UK’s close relationship with both Israel and Gulf states, said that our country “should do our bit to ensure that these agreements absolutely succeed”.
Opening the event, Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl thanked the Home Secretary for her “for her friendship over many of the key issues facing our community”, including support over recent violent incidents around the world and for speaking out over the Wiley incident. She also reminded the Home Secretary that “Many in our community came to the UK as frightened and vulnerable refugees, fleeing vicious persecution”, and, noting community concerns over the early closure of the Dubs Scheme for the resettlement of child refugees, called for the Government to “continue its proud tradition of giving shelter to those fleeing the worst situations”.
Closing the event, Board of Deputies Vice President Amanda Bowman thanked the Home Secretary, saying, “In a democracy there are many points of view to put forward – and that is no less true in the Jewish community than in any other part of society. But it is only in a democracy that a senior member of the Government would agree to come and answer questions from our community and that is something that we do not take for granted”.
At the end of the event, the Board of Deputies announced that it would be hosting fringes at the Party Conferences including:
12pm, Monday 21st September – Labour Party Conference: “How should we be combatting online hate?” Featuring Shadow Home Secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds, Shadow Justice Secretary David Lammy and Ruth Smeeth.
12pm, Sunday 27th September – Liberal Democrat Party Conference: ‘Meet the Liberal Democrat Leader: A conversation with Sir Ed Davey’, in partnership with the Liberal Democrat Friends of Israel.
12pm, Monday 5th October – Conservative Party Conference: Speakers TBC.
The Board of Deputies also announced that it would next week be hosting a BoDCast called “Have I Got News for Jews”, featuring Guardian Deputy Political Editor Jessica Elgot, Jewish News Editor Richard Ferrer and Jewish Telegraph Editor Paul Harris. The event will be streamed from 7:30-8:45pm on Tuesday 22 September.