Tory candidate accused of ‘taking Jews for granted’ after skipping hustings
Conservative and Green candidates for Barnet and Camden on the London Assembly expected to miss London Jewish Forum tonight
Two London Assembly candidates will be missing from a hustings organised for the Jewish community in Barnet and Camden.
The Conservative candidate, Roberto Weeden-Sanz, and Green Party candidate, Kirsten de Keyser, are set to skip the virtual debate. Instead, Peter Zinkin and Zack Polanski are to appear to represent the candidates respectively.
“I unfortunately have a clash of meetings on the 26th, so I suggested to Daniel that Zack would be an excellent speaker in my place,” said de Keyser.
Monday’s hustings is organised by the London Jewish Forum in partnership with the Jewish Leadership Council and Board of Deputies. Jewish News is the media sponsor for the event, with this paper’s political editor Lee Harpin hosting the debate.
Labour accused the Conservative candidate of snubbing voters in the constituency.
“It’s pretty shabby behaviour really,” said Mike Katz, chair of the Jewish Labour Movement.
“It’s one of the most Jewish constituencies in the country, it’s certainly the most Jewish constituency in the London Assembly,” he said, adding: “Either he’s running scared or he’s taking Jewish voters for granted – in either case, it’s a poor show.”
The virtual debate will take place Monday, April 26, between 8.15-9.45pm on Zoom.
Those appearing will be Anne Clarke, the Labour candidate; Peter Zinkin, representing the Conservative Party; the Liberal Democrat candidate Marisha Ray; and Zack Polanski for the Green Party.
Prior registration is required, which can be filled out here.
This article was amended to include comment from Green party candidate, Kirsten de Keyser.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.