The opposition Labor Party, rapidly reviving after its electoral disaster last year, has elected two Jews to its “shadow” cabinet.
Gerald Kaufman, a Labor MP, was appointed shadow Home Secretary, an office which covers such sensitive areas as race relations and police actions against terrorists. John Silken will act as the opposition spokesman on defense.
According to the British office of the World Jewish Congress, Kaufman is a member of the Labor Friends of Israel and has long been a close supporter of the Jewish State, although openly critical of Israel government policies in recent years.
The WJC noted that with Leon Brittan as the current Home Secretary in the Tory Cabinet and Lord Mishcon as Labor spokesman on home affairs in the House of Lords, Jews play an important role in this area of British politics.
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