Oliver Dowden and Lucy Frazer given ministerial positions
Borehamwood MP and Jewish parliamentarian get ministerial roles in Theresa May's reshuffle
Two Jewish MPs has become junior ministers in Theresa May’s cabinet reshuffle while an MP with a large Jewish constituency has also been promoted.
In her first ministerial role, MP for South East Cambridgeshire Lucy Frazer became Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Ministry of Justice.
Another former barrister, Michael Ellis, the MP for Northampton North who was previously deputy leader of the House of Commons, has been made Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
Meanwhile David Cameron’s former deputy chief of staff, Oliver Dowden, the MP for Hertsmere, was made Parliamentary Secretary at the Cabinet Office.
Leeds-born Frazer, 45, was elected to Parliament in 2015, after an astronomical career in law, where she became a QC at a young age, entering the profession after a youth in which she was a member of BBYO.
Ellis, who was a barrister for 17 years before entering Parliament in 2010, acted as Parliamentary Assistant to Lord Feldman, former Tory Party chair, under David Cameron’s government.
In a 2012 debate on Israel, Ellis said: “The hatred that is often displayed toward Israel is often a veneer for anti-Semitism, which is not only still very strong but actually getting stronger. I don’t think people are fair about Israel.”
Dowden has also been vocal in his support for the Jewish community, most recently pressing Home Secretary Amber Rudd on protesters flying the flag of the political wing of Hezbollah during the al-Quds Day march in London.
In the Commons, he said this was “provocative, incites extremism and is deeply offensive to our Jewish community”.
Both Frazer and Dowden have been described as “rising stars” and neither has ever rebelled against major Government legislation, although Frazer has voted to let terminally ill people end their lives, a position at odds with most Tory colleagues.
Keep community journalism free.
Jewish News is free for everyone. No paywall. No barriers. Just trusted journalism for anyone who wants to stay connected to Jewish life in Britain.
If you value that, please support us.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Every day, we report on the issues that matter to our community. We celebrate achievements, support charities, challenge antisemitism and ensure Jewish voices are heard more widely.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help us continue to:
- Report on the stories shaping Jewish life in the UK and beyond
- Bring our community together through shared stories, events and campaigns
- Celebrate the people, culture and moments that define our community
- Support organisations doing vital work across Jewish Britain
You can make a one-off donation or become a regular supporter. Every contribution helps keep our journalism free, independent and accessible to all.
If everyone who values Jewish News gave a small amount, it would make a real difference to our future.
