CHRISTIANS AND JEWS KEEP FAR RIGHT IN SIGHT AT CHURCH SUMMIT

The Council of Christians and Jews (CCJ) and the Board of Deputies hosted a joint panel event to add further impetus to the Church of England’s campaign against the far right in this election year. The popular event, which left standing-room only, took place yesterday at a fringe meeting of the Church of England’s General Synod. The General Synod is a twice-yearly meeting of bishops, clergy and lay leaders, which decides the Church’s spiritual direction and policy.

Noted historian David Cesarani opened the proceedings, outlining the history and origins of the far right in Britain, before Ray Hill, a former mole in the British National Party, gave an insider’s view of the threat that right-wing extremism poses. Finally, Vivian Wineman, President of the Board of Deputies, spoke about the dedicated campaigns that the Board has run against the far right in the last couple of years. The session was presided over by the Bishop of Manchester and CCJ Chair, the Right Revd Nigel McCulloch, who has been particularly active in his opposition to this malign force in politics.

David Gifford, Chief Executive of CCJ said, “It was hugely important for us to keep the far right high on the Church of England’s agenda in this election year. Professor Cesarani analytical overview was sobering enough but Mr Hill’s emphatic delivery of the true motivation of the Far Right touched everyone in the room.”

Mr Wineman said that he was proud of the Board’s efforts in light of the overtures that the far right to the Jewish community, including their cynical and unacceptable use of the Israeli flag as a fig leaf for their clear antisemitism. He affirmed that, in addition to antisemitism, “We also resist other forms of prejudice – including Islamophobia – because this prejudice is against the fundamental principles of the Jewish community”.


All the speakers warned that a resurgence of right-wing extremism posed a real threat at the next election, and that it was incumbent on all our communities to takes steps and act against the politics of hate.