Lord Mancroft Confirms Arab Pressure on London Chamber of Commerce

Lord Mancroft, the British-Jewish financier, confirmed here last night, following his return from a trip to Israel, that the London Chamber of Commerce has withdrawn an invitation extended to him to take over the Chamber’s presidency. “This has been done,” he said, “because some members of the Chamber trade with Arab countries,” The London Chamber of Commerce has 50, 000 members and 49 affiliated trade associations around the country.

Lord Mancroft, who is chairman of Global Tours, Ltd., and who, as a Jew, was forced last winter to resign under Arab pressures from the London advisory board of the Norwich Union Insurance Societies, stated: “The Chamber approached me unofficially two or three weeks ago and asked if I would withdraw my name because it could cause embarrassment to the Chamber’s members trading with Arab countries. Naturally I agreed. I had no choice. The first approach inviting me to stand for the Chamber presidency was an informal one, made last September, before the Norwich Union affair.”

Philip Herman, chairman of the Chamber, said he did not know Mancroft had been asked to withdraw from the presidential nomination; however, the fact that the withdrawal request may have been made was confirmed by William Luxton, secretary of the Chamber. Mr. Luxton said:

“An informal approach may have been made to Lord Mancroft, but I do not know whether the offer of the presidency has been withdrawn. The question of the successor to the current president, the Earl of Verulam, will be considered at a meeting Thursday, and a final choice will be left to the annual meeting next May. A body like the Chamber has to take into account the problems of the trade boycott. It is clearly a matter for the Chamber’s general meeting.”