LFI chair Joan Ryan this week urged the government to pressure the Palestinian Authority to put an end incitement to violence. At questions to the Secretary of Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on Tuesday, Joan Ryan asked the Minister for the Middle East, Tobias Ellwood MP: “On new year’s day, Nashat Melhem Read more…
Labour parliamentarians have written to Jeremy Corbyn this week urging him to join them in persuading the NEC to overturn its decision to boycott G4S. Following an unscheduled intervention by UNITE political director Jennie Formby, the party’s governing body last month voted to bar G4S from providing security at Labour’s Read more…
In response to the decision of the Labour Party NEC last week to boycott G4S Rt Hon Joan Ryan MP, Chair of LFI said: “The Labour Party has a long-standing policy of oppositions to boycotts which the NEC’s decision directly contravenes. I am writing to the party’s general secretary, Iain Read more…
Rt Hon Joan Ryan MP Speech to LFI Annual Lunch 17th November 2015 Chief Rabbi, Deputy Ambassador, friends. I want to begin today by thanking you all for being here. The responsibility of supporters of Israel in the Labour Party has become even more important since we last met in Read more…
Check against delivery Annual Lunch 17th November 2015 Keynote speech by Guest of Honour Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP Shadow Foreign Secretary Sir David, Chief Rabbi, parliamentary colleagues, ladies and gentlemen. Shalom. Can I first of all apologise profusely for being late. I do hope you will understand that I Read more…
Rt Hon Joan Ryan MP, Chair of LFI, said: “We are disappointed at yesterday’s labelling decision by the European Union. As a matter of principle, it is unfair that the Middle East’s only democracy should be singled out for such discriminatory treatment by the EU. Boycotts are a means to Read more…
LFI chair Joan Ryan was in Israel this week, reaffirming Labour’s strong ties to its sister party. Meeting Labor chairman Isaac Herzog at the Knesset, she expressed her intention to bring more Labour MPs to Israel over the next year. “In my experience, it is the way to ensure MPs Read more…
Dear David, I am writing to you about the terrible violence which is currently engulfing Israel. The brutal attacks on Israeli civilians are without justification and I would ask that you convey to the Israeli government that the British people stand with the people of Israel at this most difficult Read more…
Jeremy Corbyn caused controversy on Tuesday night when he failed to mention the word “Israel” in his address to LFI’s annual party conference reception. At the end of the Labour leader’s eight-minute speech – in which he defended the vote to recognise Palestine last October and called for the lifting Read more…
Over the coming weeks and months, I intend to begin an open and frank dialogue with Labour’s new leadership. On behalf of LFI’s supporters, I want to do three things. First, we will make clear to Jeremy Corbyn why some are deeply concerned about statements he has made regarding Israel, Read more…
Former government minister Joan Ryan is to be the new chair of Labour Friends of Israel. Ryan, the newly elected MP for Enfield North, replaces Dame Anne McGuire, who stood down from parliament at the general election. A former Home Office minister, senior whip and vice-chair of the Labour Party, Read more…
Nearly 500 people attended Monday night’s Labour Leadership Hustings event organised by LFI in partnership with the Jewish Chronicle, Jewish Labour Movement and JW3. Andy Burnham, Yvette Cooper, Jeremy Corbyn and Liz Kendall appeared at the event which was chaired by Jewish Chronicle and Guardian columnist Jonathan Freedland. Much of Read more…