Ex-JLC chief elected Jewish Labour Movement chair

The Former chief executive of the Jewish Leadership Council has been elected to chair the Jewish Labour Movement. 

Jeremy Newmark, a party activist in Hertsmere, will succeed MP Louise Ellman who has served in the role for over a decade. 

It comes as JLM’s annual general meeting voted unanimously to adopt a new structure to enable the Movement to increase its engagement inside the Labour Party on a local, regional and national basis.  JLM is an official affiliate of Labour. 

Newmark said: “JLM fills an incredibly important political space right now.  Our strong links with the  Labour Party here and in Israel are a valuable resource for our community.  Our new team is committed to strengthening them further.  My priority is to train and develop a cadre of younger political activists who will take the movement forward in the best traditions of Jewish Labour values.”   He hailed Ellman – who becomes honorary president – as a “dedicated and committed voice for our community”. 

The new National Executive will also include Vice-Chairs Sarah Sackman, Labour’s 2015 Parliamentary Candidate in Finchley & Golders Green, and Mike Katz, a Labour candidate for the London Assembly in the forthcoming Mayoral elections. Ealing Councillor Peter Mason will serve as National Secretary.   

Addressing the 100-strong gathering, James Asser, the Socialist Societies representative to the Labour Party National Executive Committee, spoke about the valued contribution made by JLM to the party.