Tory Conference Diary: Envoy is a hit as Jewish attendees spoilt for choice
Lee Harpin looks at all the talking points from the Conservative Party's annual gathering in Manchester
Israeli ambassador to the UK Tzipi Hotovely proved to be quite a hit with senior figures in the Conservative Party during her visit to party conference.
- So much so that Stephen Crabb MP, the Conservative Friends of Israel parliamentary chair and former minister, jokingly suggested if she wanted to give it a go she could even challenge Boris Johnson for the top job.
- Meanwhile Hotovely wasted no time at a fringe event at Tory conference is waving away an offer of being introduced to MPs at the Manchester by a communal figure, who shall remain nameless.
- The ambassador pointed out that if she needed help with introductions she could always ask the Prime Minister or those around him for help.
- Jewish attendees at the Manchester conference were left in a bit of a quandary on Tuesday afternoon, when no less than three fringe events covering antisemitism and online hate were scheduled for the same 3.30pm start time.
- One Conservative figure was overheard apologising saying: “The seen to think they can get all the non-English sessions over in an hour.”
- It was lucky that the Board of Deputies turned out in force again for Tory Conference, as they had done last week in Brighton for Labour’s event.
- With three fringe events on at the same time on Tuesday, the Board’s Daniel Sugarman did one, President Marie van der Zyl another – while the fantastically down-to-earth and approachable new chief exec Michael Wegier went off to observe another.
- And look who posed up for a picture as Jewish News ventured back to their hotel room on Tuesday night:
- Earlier, Bury South MP Christian Wakeford, the Board’s comms director Phil Rosenberg and myself (see Board’s tweet) had been photographed at the CFI reception.
- Crabb told the crowd at CFI, Hotovely had been treated like “a rock star” by the Tory faithful at conference and added:”If you were a member of the British parliament Boris Johnson would be worried about you.”
.@PhilR_R gearing up for a fantastic @CFoI reception with Bury South MP @Christian4BuryS & @JewishNewsUK finest @lmharpin #CPC21 pic.twitter.com/jxd7Y3VIhy
— Board of Deputies of British Jews (@BoardofDeputies) October 5, 2021
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