Sir Eric Pickles elevated to the House of Lords

The government’s envoy for post-Holocaust issue Eric Pickles has been appointed to the House of Lords.

Lord Pickles, who was widely touted for the Lords after stepping down as an MP before the last election, is among a list revealed today of figures from the main parties who will take their places in the upper chamber. The charismatic politician also served as parliamentary chair of Conservative Friends of Israel, helping to increase the organisation’s impact while at the helm.

CFI Honorary President Lord Polak CBE and CFI Executive Director James  Gurd said: “A huge congratulations and mazel tov to Israel’s greatest chum, Sir Eric Pickles, on his ennoblement to the House of Lords. With four remarkable decades of public service, Sir Eric’s peerage is not only fully deserved but he will also make an enormous contribution to the House of Lords.

“CFI look forward to working with him and Sir Eric continuing his long-record of supporting the UK’s Jewish community and the State of Israel”.

On the news of Sir Eric Pickles’ elevation to the House of Lords, Karen Pollock, Chief Executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, said: “Huge congratulations to Sir Eric Pickles! Following nearly 40 years of public service and as a true champion of Holocaust education and remembrance, we could not be more thrilled for our dear chum! We know Sir Eric Pickles will continue to passionately champion our cause and on behalf of the Holocaust survivors who so admire him and all of us at the Holocaust Educational Trust, we wish him a hearty Mazel Tov!”

Chief Executive of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, Olivia Marks-Woldman congratulated Sir Eric on, commending him for having “worked tirelessly to ensure that the lessons from the Holocaust and other genocides are taught and learned across the UK and continues to campaign passionately against Holocaust denial and anti-Semitism.”