Neville Laski, prominent Manchester attorney and brother of Professor Harold Laski, the well known political scientist, was yesterday elected president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, succeeding D’Avigdor Goldsmid, who held the office for seven years.
Mr. Laski, by a vote of 128 to 79, defeated Major Salomon Nathan, member of Parliament, who was also a candidate for the post.
Mr. Laski’s election is interpreted as a victory for the non-Zionist faction of the Board of Deputies. Mr. Laski is known to be a non-Zionist and in some circles is even regarded as an anti-Zionist.
Major Nathan was the candidate of the Zionist group represented in the Board’s membership. It was hoped that a Zionist would be elected as more truly representative of the preponderant Zionist complexion of the Board.
The retiring president, while a non-Zionist, was the Chairman of the British section of the Jewish Agency for Palestine.
Upon hearing of his election, Mr. Laski said: “I have no axe to grind. I have an open mind and will speak the command of the deputies.”
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
