Government-funded security for community must be ‘risk based’

Tessa Jowell has called for security at Jewish community organisations to be funded by the government “based on risk”.

Speaking at JW3 on Tuesday night, the MP for Dulwich and West Norwood, who is seeking to become Labour’s London mayoral candidate, paid tribute to the work of the CST before stressing: “Funding of protection must be risk based if it is to be publicly funded. Some parts of the community will feel more at risk.”

She also spoke about the relationship between Jewish voters and her party, insisting leader Ed Miliband was “sincere” in his Jewish identity and claiming she had heard him speak “passionately” about Judiasm.

Jowell was quizzed on her ‘fact-finding’ trip to Israel and the Palestinian territories with Labour Friends of Israel in November 2014, warning that the current “stalemate” has now become “normalised”.

She added: “I can’t see where the traction for impetus for a negotiated solution will come from. There is a lot of pessimism. It is a tragedy – given that Israel is one of the knowledge leaders of the world. I can’t see how this potential can be realised whilst this is the case.”

The event was media partnered by Jewish News and co-hosted by the London Jewish Forum. It was chaired by LJF’s Adrian Cohen.

Thank you to @JewishLondon for hosting an evening of discussion and debate with their members tonight pic.twitter.com/klWfGxNcNj

— Tessa Jowell (@jowellt) March 3, 2015