Founder of London Jewish Forum selected as Labour candidate for Camden Council
Adrian Cohen will fight for his seat in May, with other Jewish Labour activists vying for election for the first time including Rebecca Filer and Izzy Lenga
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
London Jewish Forum founder Adrian Cohen has been selected to stand as a Labour candidate in Camden council’s Hampstead Town ward in the forthcoming local elections.
Cohen, who represents Highgate Synagogue on the Board of Deputies , and is a vice president of the Jewish Leadership Council, was confirmed as a candidate for the local government elections in May at a selection meeting held last week.
Hampstead Town has historically proved a difficult ward for Labour – even though they hold the majority of seats on the north London council.
Labour election chiefs hope Cohen’s selection will help win over new voters in the local elections, which will provide a clear signal of the success of Sir Keir Starmer’s attempt to win back Jewish voters to his party.
On Friday, it emerged that both Conservative candidates for the two seat Hampstead Town ward are themselves Jewish – Stephen Stark and Deborah Dor.
The bank and finance law expert has been connected to Labour for many years – and he is lay chair of Labour Friends of Israel – and a member of the Labour Party Antisemitism Advisory Board, set up as a result of the EHRC’s devastating report.
The Jewish Labour Movement was also celebrating further successful Camden candidate selections.
Rebecca Filer, JLM’s national organiser, was selected to stand for Labour in the Haverstock ward.
She tweeted:”Really honoured to be running to be a councillor in the borough I love and I’ve lived in my whole life.”
Meanwhile Izzy Lenga, a member of JLM’s NEC, was also selected to stand in the South Hampstead ward.
Lenga had been one of the most outspoken critics of Jeremy Corbyn’s failure on antisemitism, and had appeared in the pivotal BBC Panorama expose of the issue.
Existing Jewish councillors Georgia Gould, leader of Camden Council, Larraine Revah and Jonathan Simpson, have also all been selected to stand again in the May elections.
Jewish News has previously revealed how several Jewish candidates, and long-time non-Jewish allies of the community, are standing for Labour in Barnet, as the party bid to take the council for the first time in decades.
Brent and Haringey council selections take place over the next few weeks, with more high-profile Jewish candidates expected to be on the shortlists.
Labour shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves spoke last week to Jewish News as she took party in campaigning ahead of the local elections.
Reeves said the “best thing” was to see the pride restored amongst the activists as they knocked doors and asked people to vote Labour without being confronted over Corbyn’s failure on antisemitism.
Mike Katz, JLM’s national chair, told Jewish News “It’s really heartening to see community figures and JLM activists putting themselves forward as Labour candidates for the council elections this May.
“It should send a really positive message to Jewish voters, that, thanks to Keir Starmer’s leadership, Labour is taking decisive action on antisemitism.
“This shows the Party is truly under new management, and those repulsed by Corbyn can consider voting Labour again.”
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