Lord Janner dies aged 87
Former Labour MP Lord Janner has died aged 87 according to his family.
Janner was this month ruled unfit to stand trial for a string of alleged sex offences against boys dating back 50 years due to “deteriorating and irreversible” dementia.
Janner represented Leicester West in the Commons for 27 years from 1970 to 1997, but was suspended by the Labour Party in April over the allegations.
He was charged with 22 sexual offences dating back to the 1960s against nine alleged victims, the majority of whom were 16 or under at the time.
A further hearing had been set for March 7 ahead of a planned trial of facts in April.
The 87-year-old peer, was a prominent campaigner for Jewish organisations. He stood as both the former president of the Board of Deputies, and was the founder of the Holocaust Educational Trust.
A statement from Lord Janner’s family said: “Lord Janner died peacefully on Saturday, 19th December after a long illness. He will be deeply missed. His family are now in the traditional period of mourning, and ask that this be respected.”
A Board statement said: “Following the passing of Lord Janner after a long illness, our thoughts and prayers go out to the whole Janner family.”
Sir Mick Davis, chairman of the Jewish Leadership Council, said: “The passing of Greville Janner marks the end of an era for the Jewish community.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the Janner family at this most difficult time.”
Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis tweeted the following message: “Condolences to the Janner family on the passing of Lord Janner today. Our thoughts and prayers are with them.”
Karen Pollock MBE, Chief Executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, said: “In 1988 Greville Janner had the foresight to know we as a nation needed to know about and remember the Holocaust and so established the Holocaust Educational Trust. Our thoughts are with his family at this difficult time.”
Lord Mendelsohn, President Commonwealth Jewish Council said: “Greville’s contribution to Commonwealth Jewry will be long remembered. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family”.
The Israeli Embassy in London tweeted they were “saddened to hear about the death of Lord Greville Janner. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.”
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