Whittingdale meets Board of Deputies for talks about Israel, culture and the BBC

Culture Secretary John Wittingdale held a meeting with Board representatives this week to talk about ties between the UK and Israel, opposition to cultural boycotts and handling complaints about BBC coverage.

Following the meeting, Mr Whittingdale said: “It was a pleasure to meet the Board of Deputies and to reiterate our support for Jewish culture in the UK and our total opposition to cultural boycotts. I look forward to visiting a Jewish cultural institution in due course.”

Board President Jonathan Arkush, who attended the meeting with Chief Executive Gillian Merron and International Relations Officer David Walsh, said: “We were very pleased to meet John Whittingdale and hold productive discussions with him. He positively appreciates the Jewish contribution to the UK’s cultural scene and the warm ties between Israel and our country. I also note his previous remarks on the need for an independent mechanism for handling complaints regarding BBC coverage of political issues.”