VIDEO: Former Board chief executive Gillian Merron takes seat in House of Lords
Communal leader, who was recommended for a peerage by Sir Keir Starmer, served as a Labour MP from 1997 to 2010 before joining the Board
The former chief executive of the Board of Deputies, Gillian Merron, has taken her seat in the House of Lords.
The communal leader, who served as Labour’s former health minister, was MP for Lincoln from 1997 until 2010 when she lost her seat to the Tories.
Prior to joining the Lords she served as the Board of Deputies of British Jews chief executive for more than six years, before announcing she was stepping down in January 2021.
Baroness Merron, who was recommended for a peerage by Sir Keir Starmer, wore the traditional scarlet robes for the short introduction ceremony where she swore the oath of allegiance to the Queen.
She was flanked by supporters and fellow Labour peers Baroness Smith of Basildon and Lord Knight of Weymouth.
Marie van der Zyl, President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said: “We are so proud of our former Chief Executive, Gillian Merron. Her introduction to the House of Lords today was so well deserved after decades of service to the public. She was an excellent Chief Executive and we wish her every success in her new work as a peer of the realm. Mazal Tov, Baroness Merron!”
Introducer Lord Knight of Weymouth said, “Gillian is a hugely respected figure in Parliament, from her work in the Commons and more recently with the Board of Deputies. She will fit in instantly. We all look forward to her contribution.”
After leaving her role at the Board on 2 April, Michael Wegier, the former Chief Executive of leading Jewish charity, the UJIA, took over as interim CEO.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
