Sunak tells CFI their support is ‘more important than ever’ ahead of next election
In a letter written for the Conservative Friends of Israel group's magazine, the prime minister also says 'relationship between the UK and Israel is going from strength to strength'
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
Rishi Sunak has said the support of the Conservative Friends of Israel group is “going to be more important than ever” ahead of the next general election.
In a letter published in the new edition of CFI’s Informed magazine, he also writes that the “relationship between the UK and Israel is going from strength to strength under our Party’s leadership”.
Praising the influential group for their continued support, Sunak writes:“I have greatly enjoyed working with the Conservative Friends of Israel this past year, and as we look ahead to the next general election, your support is going to be more important than ever”.
Ahead of the Conservative Party’s annual conference, which begins in Manchester on Sunday, there has been increased speculation about the timing of the next election, which some even predicting the PM could make a surprise announcement.
The next general election can take place any time until January 2025, although it seems most likely that the Tories would opt for sometime in autumn next year.
Elsewhere in his letter the PM describes himself as “a proud friend of Israel” and wished Israel “a happy 75th year of Independence”.
He adds he wants to help to ensure that “Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon” and that the UK will “stand lockstep with Israel in its efforts to counter Iranian-backed terror groups, which have dangerously expanded into the West Bank”.
H erefers to the 2030 UK-Israel Roadmap which “will see us working hand-in-hand [with Israel] in critical areas such as defence, trade, cyber, and health, as well as The Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill, signed into law on 11th May, “which will protect Jewish and pro-Israel students on campus, rooting out antisemitism and antisemitic anti-Zionism”.
Sunak writes that the anti-boycott bill “will end the unacceptable practice of publicly funded bodies pursuing divisive BDS activities, which have caused harm to community cohesion through its repeat targeting of the Jewish state”.
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