Kemi Badenoch meets Jewish community leaders

On Monday 20 January 2025, Conservative Leader Kemi Badenoch met with the Board of Deputies of British Jews, the Jewish Leadership Council and the Community Security Trust to discuss the key challenges and opportunities facing the Jewish community.

The Conservative leader heard from Jewish representatives about the rise of antisemitism and extremism over the last 15 months on the streets, online, in universities, schools and workplaces. The group discussed a range of means to drive back hatred and promote community cohesion.

Turning to Israel, the Jewish leaders thanked Kemi Badenoch and the Conservative Party for their staunch friendship to the Jewish state, and Mrs Badenoch’s personal advocacy for hostages and the victims of sexual violence in the atrocities of 7 October 2023.

They noted the Conservative leader’s clear opposition to the Government’s suspension of some arms sales in September, and discussed the ongoing challenge of media bias against Israel, including in the BBC.

Following the meeting, Board of Deputies President Phil Rosenberg, Jewish Leadership Council CEO Claudia Mendoza and Community Security Trust CEO Mark Gardner 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”.

Conservative Leader Kemi Badenoch said:

“I 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.”