Labour Friends of Israel (LFI) is a group in the

Parliament of the United Kingdom The Parliament of the United Kingdom is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace of Westminster, London. It alone possesses legislative suprem ...

that promotes support for a strong bilateral relationship between

Britain Britain most often refers to: * The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands * Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...

and

Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

, and seeks to strengthen ties between the British Labour Party and the

Israeli Labor Party The Israeli Labor Party ( he, מִפְלֶגֶת הָעֲבוֹדָה הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִית, ), commonly known as HaAvoda ( he, הָעֲבוֹדָה, , The Labor), is a social democratic and Zionist political party in Israel. The p ...

. LFI says it supports a

two-state solution The two-state solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict envisions an independent State of Palestine alongside the State of Israel, west of the Jordan River. The boundary between the two states is still subject to dispute and negotiation ...

to the

Israeli–Palestinian conflict The Israeli–Palestinian conflict is one of the world's most enduring conflicts, beginning in the mid-20th century. Various attempts have been made to resolve the conflict as part of the Israeli–Palestinian peace process, alongside other ef ...

, with Israel recognised and secure within its borders, and the establishment of a viable

Palestinian state Palestine ( ar, فلسطين, Filasṭīn), officially the State of Palestine ( ar, دولة فلسطين, Dawlat Filasṭīn, label=none), is a state located in Western Asia. Officially governed by the Palestine Liberation Organization (PL ...

. , it comprises around one quarter of the

Parliamentary Labour Party In UK politics, the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) is the parliamentary group of the Labour Party in Parliament, i.e. Labour MPs as a collective body. Commentators on the British Constitution sometimes draw a distinction between the Labour ...

and one third of the Shadow Cabinet.

History

LFI was founded at the 1957

Labour Party Conference The Labour Party Conference is the annual conference of the British Labour Party. It is formally the supreme decision-making body of the party and is traditionally held in the final week of September, during the party conference season when th ...

. Its membership is organised into local branches. Seeking to strengthen the bond between the Labour Party and the

, it organises meetings of senior figures in both the UK and Israel.

2000–2015

In 2003, LFI described itself as "a Westminster based lobby group working within the British Labour Party to promote the State of Israel". It has been described as "less unquestioning in its support of the Israeli government than the

Conservative Friends of Israel Conservative Friends of Israel (CFI) is a British parliamentary group affiliated to the Conservative Party, which is dedicated to strengthening business, cultural and political ties between the United Kingdom and Israel, as well as between the B ...

". Between 2001 and 2009, LFI sponsored more than 60 MPs to visit Israel, more than any other group. In 2010, Jennifer Gerber, previously director of

Progress Progress is the movement towards a refined, improved, or otherwise desired state. In the context of progressivism, it refers to the proposition that advancements in technology, science, and social organization have resulted, and by extension w ...

and before that, special advisor to

Andy Burnham Andrew Murray Burnham (born 7 January 1970) is a British politician who has served as Mayor of Greater Manchester since 2017. He served in Gordon Brown's Cabinet as Chief Secretary to the Treasury from 2007 to 2008, Culture Secretary from 200 ...

, was appointed director. In 2011, LFI adopted a new strategy of becoming a wider membership organisation and of operating under the slogan "Working Towards a Two-State Solution". In 2011, John Woodcock was appointed chair, followed in May 2013 by Dame Anne McGuire and, in 2015, Joan Ryan. In 2014, Adrian Cohen, a corporate lawyer, the chair of the

London Jewish Forum Established in 2006, The London Jewish Forum (LJF) is dedicated to the promotion of Jewish life in London. The Forum provides a platform for engagement between London Jewry and the Greater London Authority, Mayor of London, London Boroughs and MP ...

, a trustee of the Jewish Leadership Council and a deputy of the

Board of Deputies of British Jews The Board of Deputies of British Jews, commonly referred to as the Board of Deputies, is the largest and second oldest Jewish communal organisation in the United Kingdom, after only the Initiation Society which was founded in 1745. Established ...

, was appointed Lay Chair.

2016 onwards

With the ascent to the leadership of the Labour Party, in September 2015, of

Jeremy Corbyn Jeremy Bernard Corbyn (; born 26 May 1949) is a British politician who served as Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party from 2015 to 2020. On the political left of the Labour Party, Corbyn describes himself as a socialis ...

, who has a history of support for

Palestinians Palestinians ( ar, الفلسطينيون, ; he, פָלַסְטִינִים, ) or Palestinian people ( ar, الشعب الفلسطيني, label=none, ), also referred to as Palestinian Arabs ( ar, الفلسطينيين العرب, label=non ...

, the relationship between the LFI and the party leadership deteriorated. LFI had been depleted of Parliamentary supporters who had lost their seats at the 2015 general election. In 2016, LFI announced it had trebled its number of Parliamentary supporters, stating that 65 MPs had pledged to back the group, at a time when many MPs rebelled against the leadership of the party. LFI re-branded itself as "Labour Friends of Israel: For Israel, For Palestine, For Peace", created a Young LFI group, and stated it would support the Alliance for Middle East Peace’s international fund. In early 2017, ''

Al Jazeera Al Jazeera ( ar, الجزيرة, translit-std=DIN, translit=al-jazīrah, , "The Island") is a state-owned Arabic-language international radio and TV broadcaster of Qatar. It is based in Doha and operated by the media conglomerate Al Jazee ...

'' released a four-part documentary entitled '' The Lobby'', which investigated aspects of the

Israel lobby in the United Kingdom ''The Israel lobby in the United Kingdom'' is a term sometimes used to describe individuals and groups which seek to influence the foreign policy of the United Kingdom in favour of bilateral ties with Israel, Zionism, Israel, or the policies o ...

, particularly relating to the Labour Party. A member of Israeli embassy staff, Shai Masot, was recorded "plotting" to take down British MPs who favour recognition of a Palestinian state; links to the Labour Friends of Israel were put under the spotlight, including a reference to the availability of £1m from the Israeli government. In March 2018, supporters of LFI, along with the

and the Jewish Leadership Council, took part in a protest critical of the Corbyn leadership, stating that

antisemitism Antisemitism (also spelled anti-semitism or anti-Semitism) is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. A person who holds such positions is called an antisemite. Antisemitism is considered to be a form of racism. Antis ...

was present in the Labour Party. In February 2019, after having lost a vote of no confidence by her local constituency Labour Party, Joan Ryan resigned from the Labour Party to join the recently formed The Independent Group but retained her position as Chair of LFI. She became Honorary President in August 2019 and Dame Louise Ellman succeeded her as Parliamentary Chair. In October 2019, Ellman resigned from the Labour Party. Neither stood for reelection in the 2019 general election. However, despite resigning from the Labour Party, they remained members of LFI. As of July 2020, around a quarter of the Parliamentary Labour Party and a third of the shadow cabinet were members of the group. In September 2020, Jennifer Gerber stepped down as director and was replaced by Michael Rubin. In September 2020, LFI doubled its number of vice-chairs to 11, with the addition of:

Rosie Cooper Rosemary Elizabeth Cooper (born 5 September 1950) is a British health official and former Labour Party politician who has served as the chair of Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust since November 2022. Previously, she served as the Member of Parl ...

, Chris Evans, Dame Diana Johnson, Peter Kyle,

Conor McGinn Conor Patrick McGinn (born 31 July 1984) is a British politician serving as Member of Parliament (MP) for St Helens North since 2015. He was the Labour Party Deputy National Campaign Coordinator from June 2021 and Shadow Minister without Port ...

and Catherine McKinnell.

Related groups

The Yigal Allon Educational Trust, founded in 1985 by former Prime Minister

Harold Wilson James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, (11 March 1916 – 24 May 1995) was a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from October 1964 to June 1970, and again from March 1974 to April 1976. He ...

, Ian Mikardo MP, Lord Glenamara and others, has supported Labour Friends of Israel.

Parliamentary supporters of LFI

As of February 2022, the Officers, sitting MPs, Lords and former members who were supporters of LFI are set out below.

Officers

Labour (unless otherwise stated) *

Steve McCabe Stephen James "Steve" McCabe (born 4 August 1955) is a British politician who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Birmingham Selly Oak since 2010. A member of the Labour Party, he was previously MP for Birmingham Hall Green from 199 ...

: Chair *

* Chris Evans * Sharon Hodgson * Diana Johnson * Peter Kyle *

Pat McFadden Patrick Bosco McFadden (born 26 March 1965) is a British politician serving as Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury since 2021. A member of the Labour Party, he has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Wolverhampton South East since 20 ...

* Catherine McKinnell * Rachel Reeves *

John Spellar John Francis Spellar (born 5 August 1947) is a British politician who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Warley, formerly Warley West, since 1992. A member of the Labour Party, he previously represented Birmingham Northfield from 1 ...

Meta Ramsay, Baroness Ramsay of Cartvale Margaret Mildred "Meta" Ramsay, Baroness Ramsay of Cartvale (born 12 July 1936) is a Labour Party member of the House of Lords. Professional career Educated at the University of Glasgow and the Graduate Institute of International Studies, Gen ...

* Jonathan Reynolds

Sitting MPs

Labour (unless otherwise stated) *

Mike Amesbury Michael Lee Amesbury (born 7 May 1969) is a British politician serving as Member of Parliament (MP) for Weaver Vale since 2017. A member of the Labour Party, he was Shadow Minister for Local Government until 2022. He previously served as Shadow ...

* Fleur Anderson *

Hilary Benn Hilary James Wedgwood Benn (born 26 November 1953) is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Leeds Central since a by-election in 1999. He served in the Cabinet from 2003 to 2010, under both Tony Bla ...

* Nick Brown * Chris Bryant * Liam Byrne *

Neil Coyle Neil Alan John Coyle (born 30 December 1978) is a British Independent politician who has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bermondsey and Old Southwark since 2015. He was elected MP as a member of the Labour Party, but was suspende ...

* Feryal Clark * Yvette Cooper *

Jon Cruddas Jonathan Cruddas (born 7 April 1962) is a British Labour Party politician who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Dagenham and Rainham since 2010, and formerly for Dagenham between 2001 and 2010. A graduate of the University of Warwic ...

* Janet Daby * Wayne David *

Angela Eagle Dame Angela Eagle DBE (born 17 February 1961) is a British Labour Party politician serving as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Wallasey since 1992. Eagle was born in Yorkshire and studied PPE at the University of Oxford, before working for ...

* Maria Eagle *

Chris Elmore Christopher Philip James Elmore (born 23 December 1983) is a Welsh Labour Party politician. He has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Ogmore since 2016. Early life and career Elmore was born in Newport and lived in Brynmawr and in Caerphilly ...

Florence Eshalomi Florence Dauta Eshalomi (''née'' Nosegbe; born 18 September 1980) is a British Labour and Co-operative politician serving as the Member of Parliament (MP) representing Vauxhall since 2019. She previously served as the Member of the London Ass ...

Barry Gardiner Barry Strachan Gardiner (born 10 March 1957) is a British politician who served as Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change and Shadow Secretary of State for International Trade from 2016 to 2020. A member of the Labour Party, h ...

* Preet Gill * Mary Glindon *

Lilian Greenwood Lilian Rachel Greenwood (born 26 March 1966) is a British Labour Party politician serving as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Nottingham South since 2010, and the Opposition Deputy Chief Whip of the House of Commons since 2021. A former u ...

Nia Griffith Dame Nia Rhiannon Griffith (born 4 December 1956) is a Welsh politician who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Llanelli since 2005. A member of the Labour Party, she has been a Shadow Minister for International Trade since 2021. Grif ...

* Andrew Gwynne *

Carolyn Harris Carolyn Harris (born 18 September 1960) is a Welsh politician serving as Deputy Leader of Welsh Labour since 2018. She has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Swansea East since 2015. Harris served as Shadow Minister for Safeguarding and Vul ...

* Fabian Hamilton * Margaret Hodge * George Howarth *

Dan Jarvis Daniel Owen Woolgar Jarvis (born 30 November 1972) is a British Labour Party politician and former British Army officer who has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Barnsley Central since 2011. He also served as the Mayor of South York ...

Darren Jones Darren Jones may refer to: * Darren Jones (footballer) (born 1983), Welsh footballer *Darren Jones (politician) Darren Paul Jones (born 13 November 1986) is a British Labour politician serving as Chair of the House of Commons Business, Energ ...

* Kevan Jones *

Mike Kane Michael Joseph Patrick Kane (born 9 January 1969) is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Wythenshawe and Sale East since February 2014. He won the seat in the 2014 by-election, which was held fol ...

* Liz Kendall *

David Lammy David Lindon Lammy (born 19 July 1972) is an English politician serving as Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs since 2021. A member of the Labour Party (UK), Labour Party, he has been Member of Parliamen ...

* Kim Leadbeater * Chris Matheson *

Siobhain McDonagh Siobhain Ann McDonagh (born 20 February 1960) is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Mitcham and Morden since the 1997 general election. She served as an Assistant Whip in the Labour Government, ...

* Stephen Morgan *

Alex Norris Alexander James Jordan Norris (born 4 February 1984) is a British Labour and Co-operative Party politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Nottingham North, and was first elected at the 2017 general election. Early life and career Norris ...

* Taiwo Owatemi * Toby Perkins *

Jess Phillips Jessica Rose Phillips (; born 9 October 1981) is a British politician serving as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Birmingham Yardley since 2015. A member of the Labour Party, she has been Shadow Minister for Domestic Violence and Safeguardi ...

* Bridget Phillipson * Lucy Powell * Virendra Sharma * Barry Sheerman * Jeff Smith *

Karin Smyth Karin Marguerite Smyth (born 8 September 1964) is a British Labour Party politician. She was elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bristol South in 2015. Early life and career Born in London, her parents had emigrated from Ireland to ...

Keir Starmer Sir Keir Rodney Starmer (; born 2 September 1962) is a British politician and barrister who has served as Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party since 2020. He has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Holborn and St Pancras s ...

Wes Streeting Wesley Paul William Streeting (; born 21 January 1983) is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care since 2021, and Member of Parliament (MP) for Ilford North since 2015. He serve ...

Graham Stringer Graham Eric Stringer (born 17 February 1950) is a British Labour Party politician serving as MP for Blackley and Broughton since 1997. Before entering Parliament, he served as leader of Manchester City Council from 1984 to 1996, and chair of ...

* Gareth Thomas * Emily Thornberry * Karl Turner *

Derek Twigg John Derek Twigg (born 9 July 1959) is a British Labour Party politician who has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Halton in Cheshire since the 1997 general election. Early life Twigg attended Bankfield High School (now Ormiston Ch ...

* Christian Wakeford *

Rosie Winterton Dame Rosalie Winterton, (born 10 August 1958) is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Doncaster Central since 1997. In June 2017, Winterton became one of three Deputy Speakers in the House of Com ...

Sitting Lords

Labour (unless otherwise stated) * Donald Anderson, Baron Anderson of Swansea * Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top * Jeremy Beecham, Baron Beecham * Lord Blunkett * Lord Boateng * Lord Clarke of Hampstead *

Lord Collins of Highbury Ray Edward Harry Collins, Baron Collins of Highbury (born 21 December 1954) is a British politician and trade unionist serving as a Member of the House of Lords since 2011. A member of the Labour Party, he has been Shadow Deputy Leader of the H ...

* Baroness Crawley * Lord Desai * Lord Donoughue * Lord Foulkes of Cumnock * Baroness Gale * Lord Grantchester * Lord Hain * Lord Harrison *

Lord Haskel Simon Haskel, Baron Haskel (born 9 October 1934) is a British Labour Party politician and life peer. Life and career Simon Haskel was educated at Sedbergh School Sedbergh School is a public school (English independent day and boarding ...

* Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town * Lord Hughes of Woodside *

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath Philip Alexander Hunt, Baron Hunt of Kings Heath, (born 19 May 1949) is a former health administrator and a Labour Co-operative member of the House of Lords. Early life and career Born in 1949, Philip Hunt was educated at the single-sex gramm ...

* Baroness Kennedy of Cradley *

Lord Kennedy of Southwark Roy Francis Kennedy, Baron Kennedy of Southwark, (born 9 November 1962) is a British Labour and Co-operative politician and life peer serving as Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords since 2021. Early life Born in Lambeth, London to ...

* Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead *

Lord Levy Michael Abraham Levy, Baron Levy, (born 11 July 1944) is a Labour Party peer. He is a former chartered accountant and was chairman and CEO of a large independent group of music companies. He now acts as a consultant for a number of companies a ...

* Baroness Liddell of Coatdyke * Lord Livermore * John Maxton *

Paul Murphy, Baron Murphy of Torfaen Paul Peter Murphy, Baron Murphy of Torfaen, (born 25 November 1948) is a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Torfaen from 1987 to 2015, and served in the Cabinet from 1999 to 2005 and again from 2008 to ...

Lord Rooker Jeffrey William Rooker, Baron Rooker (born 5 June 1941) is a British politician and life peer who served as a government minister from 1997 to 2008. A member of the Labour Party, he was Member of Parliament (MP) for Birmingham Perry Barr from ...

* Lord Stone of Blackheath * Lord Tomlinson * Lord Touhig * Lord Turnberg (Independent) * Lord Watts * Lord Winston * Lord Wood of Anfield * Lord Young of Norwood Green

Former members

* David Abrahams, former Treasurer * Lord Archer of Sandwell * Sir Stuart Bell * Luciana Berger, former Director of LFI *

Tony Blair Sir Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born 6 May 1953) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007. He previously served as Leader of t ...

, former

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is ...

Gordon Brown James Gordon Brown (born 20 February 1951) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 to 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in Tony ...

, former

* Stephen Byers, former Secretary of State for Trade and Industry *

Andrew Dismore Andrew is the English form of a given name common in many countries. In the 1990s, it was among the top ten most popular names given to boys in English-speaking countries. "Andrew" is frequently shortened to "Andy" or "Drew". The word is derive ...

* Michael Dugher * Derek Foster * Anthony Greenwood, first Chair of LFI (1957) *

Baroness Hayman Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than a lord or knigh ...

* Joan Humble *

Barbara Keeley Barbara Mary Keeley (born 26 March 1952) is a British Labour Party politician who has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Worsley and Eccles South, previously Worsley, since 2005. A member of the Labour Party, she has served as Sha ...

* Jane Kennedy, Chair of LFI (2007) * Ivan Lewis, former Vice-Chair of LFI * Lord Macdonald of Tradeston * Denis MacShane * Michael McCann, Vice-Chair of LFI * Anne McGuire, Chair of LFI (2013) * Jonathan Mendelsohn, former Chair of LFI (2002) *

Alun Michael Alun Edward Michael (born 22 August 1943) is a Welsh Labour politician serving as South Wales Police and Crime Commissioner since 2012. He served as Secretary of State for Wales from 1998 to 1999 and then as the first First Secretary of Wal ...

, former Leader of the

Welsh Labour Party Welsh Labour ( cy, Llafur Cymru) is the branch of the United Kingdom Labour Party in Wales and the largest party in modern Welsh politics. Welsh Labour and its forebears won a plurality of the Welsh vote at every UK general election since 192 ...

* Andrew Miller * Jim Murphy, former Chair of LFI (2001), former

Secretary of State for Scotland The secretary of state for Scotland ( gd, Rùnaire Stàite na h-Alba; sco, Secretar o State fir Scotland), also referred to as the Scottish secretary, is a Secretary of State (United Kingdom), secretary of state in the Government of the Unit ...

* Dan Norris *

Nick Palmer Nick may refer to: * Nick (given name) * A cricket term for a slight deviation of the ball off the edge of the bat * British slang for being arrested * British slang for a police station * British slang for stealing * Short for nickname Place ...

* James Purnell, former Chair of LFI, former

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions The secretary of state for work and pensions, also referred to as the work and pensions secretary, is a Secretary of State (United Kingdom), secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, with overall responsibility for the busin ...

* John Reid, former

Home Secretary The secretary of state for the Home Department, otherwise known as the home secretary, is a senior minister of the Crown in the Government of the United Kingdom. The home secretary leads the Home Office, and is responsible for all nationa ...

(2007) * Terry Rooney *

Dari Taylor Dari Jean Taylor (''née'' Jones; born 13 December 1944) is a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Stockton South between the 1997 and 2010 general elections. Biography Taylor was born into a staunch Labo ...

* Gary Titley * Glenis Willmott, Vice Chair of LFI * Lord Winston * John Woodcock * Iain Wright, former Chair of LFI (2006) * Lord Young of Norwood Green

References

External links

Official website
* * *
Speech by Gordon Brown to the LFI Annual Reception
Prime Minister

, 25 September 2007 {{British Jewry 1957 establishments in the United Kingdom Israel friendship associations Israel–United Kingdom relations Jewish British history Lobbying in the United Kingdom Organisations associated with the Labour Party (UK) Organizations established in 1957 Political advocacy groups in the United Kingdom Two-state solution United Kingdom friendship associations