Two prominent members of the Jewish community on new peerage list

The Chief Executive of Family Rights Group and ex-Chair of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, Cathy Ashley, was on the list of 16 new political appointments made by the departing Prime Minister.

While the retired judge and Investigatory Powers Commissioner  Sir Brian Leveson was also nominated for a crossbench peerage, along with 25 new members of the House of Lords.

Responding to the announcement of Ashley’s peerage, Olivia Marks-Woldman OBE, Chief Executive of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, said:

“We are delighted to congratulate Cathy Ashley OBE on her appointment to the House of Lords. This is a fitting and well-deserved recognition of her many years of distinguished public service.

“As former Chair of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, Cathy provided outstanding leadership and has remained a supporter of our work ever since. Her longstanding commitment to Holocaust education and remembrance has made a lasting contribution to our organisation and to the communities we serve.

“We are immensely grateful for Cathy’s continued support and offer her our warmest congratulations as she takes up this important new role.”​​

Ashley continues to serve as the Jewish Labour Movement’s treasurer.”A big mazal tov to JLM’s Treasurer, Cathy Ashley, on receiving a peerage!,”

JLM said in a post on X. “This well-deserved recognition reflects her remarkable leadership and dedication as Chief Executive of the Family Rights Group.”

Leveson has long been one of the UK’s  most respected legal minds and is former President of the Queen’s Bench Division and Lord Justice of Appeal.

He was also the former chair of the Sentencing Council and chair of the Leveson Inquiry into the Culture, Practices and Ethics of the Press.

Others to be handed peerages included Sir Sadiq Khan. The Labour London Mayor will take his seat on the red benches with former cabinet secretary Sir Chris Wormald and the other Starmer appointments.

They appeared on a list of names issued by Downing Street to which No 10 said the King has been “graciously pleased to signify his intention of conferring peerages”.

It is understood Sir Sadiq is not seeking a ministerial role in Andy Burnham’s incoming administration and has not yet decided whether he will stand again for the mayoralty, which he has held since 2016.

Sir Chris, a career civil servant who Sir Keir was accused of scapegoating after he was effectively forced out of his job during the Mandelson vetting scandal, will sit as a crossbench peer along with Sir Brian.

The Prime Minister recommended the former cabinet secretary directly for a place in the Lords.

Other nominations from the outgoing Labour leader include broadcaster and former Loose Women panellist June Sarpong and former Unison general secretary Christina McAnea.