Conservative Friends of Israel
Encyclopedia
Conservative Friends of Israel, abbreviated to CFI, is a British
parliamentary
group affiliated to the Conservative Party
and dedicated to strengthening business, cultural and political ties between the United Kingdom and Israel
. CFI is an unincorporated association
It was founded by the late Conservative MP for Bury and Radcliffe
, Michael Fidler
. It is currently chaired by Stuart Polak, who, in 2009, was named by Iain Dale
and Brian Brivati
as the 61st most-influential right-winger in the United Kingdom. The Parliamentary Chairman is James Arbuthnot
, the Parliamentary President is Baroness Shephard of Northwold. The Vice Chairmen are John Butterfill
and James Clappison
, the Secretary is David Amess
, the Officers are Alistair Burt
, Lee Scott
, and Theresa Villiers
, and the Chairman of CFI Europe is Timothy Kirkhope
.
According to the Channel 4
documentary "Dispatches - Inside Britain's Israel Lobby" around 80% of Conservative MPs are members of the CFI,
, fighting terrorism
, combating anti-semitism
, and promoting peace in the Middle East
. According to their website, "over two thirds" of Conservative
MPs were members of Conservative Friends of Israel in 2006. In 2009, at least half of the shadow cabinet were members of the group according to a Dispatches
documentary.
Their website states the opinion that it is one of the fastest growing political lobby groups in the UK. According to the Dispatches show, between 2006 and 2009, the CFI funded more than 30 Conservative parliamentary candidates to visit Israel.
, then newly elected leader of the Conservative Party
, addressed the CFI annual Business Lunch on 30 January 2006, whose audience included half of the Conservative Parliamentary Party. As part of his speech, he stated "I am proud not just to be a Conservative, but a Conservative friend of Israel; and I am proud of the key role CFI plays within our Party. Israel is a democracy
, a strong and proud democracy, in a region that is, we hope, making its first steps in that direction."
Former Conservative party leaders Iain Duncan Smith
and Michael Howard
have also addressed the CFI Business Lunch.
documentary claimed members of the group and their companies have donated over £10 million to the Conservative party between 2001 and 2009. The group called this figure "deeply flawed" saying that they have only donated £30,000 between 2004 and 2009 but that members of the group have undoubtedly made their own donations to the party.Dispatches
described the CFI as "beyond doubt the most well-connected and probably the best funded of all Westminster lobbying groups".
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
parliamentary
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
group affiliated to the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
and dedicated to strengthening business, cultural and political ties between the United Kingdom and Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. CFI is an unincorporated association
It was founded by the late Conservative MP for Bury and Radcliffe
Bury and Radcliffe (UK Parliament constituency)
Bury and Radcliffe was a parliamentary constituency centred on the towns of Bury and Radcliffe in North West England. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
, Michael Fidler
Michael Fidler
Michael M. Fidler was a British Conservative Party politician.Fidler was Member of Parliament for Bury and Radcliffe from 1970 until the October 1974 general election, when he lost his seat to Labour's Frank White.Active in the Jewish community for many years, he founded the lobby group...
. It is currently chaired by Stuart Polak, who, in 2009, was named by Iain Dale
Iain Dale
Iain Campbell Dale is best known for his conservative-minded British political blog Iain Dale's Diary and for his frequent appearances on UK news channels as a political commentator. He is also a publisher, broadcaster and former Conservative Party politician...
and Brian Brivati
Brian Brivati
Brian Brivati is a professor of contemporary history at Kingston University and a writer.Brivati has had articles published in The Guardian, The Times, The Financial Times, The Independent on Sunday, The Observer, The New Statesman, Progress, The Fabian Review and Parliamentary Brief...
as the 61st most-influential right-winger in the United Kingdom. The Parliamentary Chairman is James Arbuthnot
James Arbuthnot
James Norwich Arbuthnot, MP is a British Conservative Party politician. He is the Member of Parliament for North East Hampshire.-Early life:...
, the Parliamentary President is Baroness Shephard of Northwold. The Vice Chairmen are John Butterfill
John Butterfill
Sir John Valentine Butterfill FRICS is a British politician. He was the Conservative Member of Parliament for Bournemouth West from 1983 until he stood down at the 2010 general election.-Early life:...
and James Clappison
James Clappison
William James Clappison, commonly known as James Clappison, British barrister and Conservative Party politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Hertsmere, and serves as Vice Chairman of the Conservative Friends of Israel group.-Personal life:The son of a Yorkshire farmer, James Clappison was...
, the Secretary is David Amess
David Amess
David Anthony Andrew Amess is a British Conservative Party politician. He has been a Member of Parliament since 1983, first for Basildon, and since 1997 for Southend West.-Early life:...
, the Officers are Alistair Burt
Alistair Burt
Alistair James Hendrie Burt is a British Conservative Party politician. He is the Member of Parliament for North East Bedfordshire...
, Lee Scott
Lee Scott (UK politician)
Lee Scott is a British politician. He is the Conservative Member of Parliament for Ilford North, and an officer of the Conservative Friends of Israel group.-Early life:Scott was born in the East End of London to a British Jewish family,...
, and Theresa Villiers
Theresa Villiers
Theresa Anne Villiers is a British Conservative Party politician. She is the Member of Parliament for Chipping Barnet and the Minister of State for Transport.She was appointed as a Privy Counsellor on 9 June 2010.-Early life:...
, and the Chairman of CFI Europe is Timothy Kirkhope
Timothy Kirkhope
Timothy John Robert Kirkhope is a British lawyer and politician, currently serving as Member of the European Parliament for Yorkshire and the Humber for the Conservative Party. After serving for ten years as Member of Parliament for Leeds North East, he was first elected to the European Parliament...
.
According to the Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
documentary "Dispatches - Inside Britain's Israel Lobby" around 80% of Conservative MPs are members of the CFI,
Activities
The group's 2005 strategy identified the following areas of activity: supporting Israel, promoting the British Conservative PartyConservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
, fighting terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
, combating anti-semitism
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
, and promoting peace in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
. According to their website, "over two thirds" of Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
MPs were members of Conservative Friends of Israel in 2006. In 2009, at least half of the shadow cabinet were members of the group according to a Dispatches
Dispatches (TV series)
Dispatches is the British television current affairs documentary series on Channel 4, first transmitted in 1987. The programme covers issues about British society, politics, health, religion, international current affairs and the environment, usually featuring a mole in an organisation.-Awards:*...
documentary.
Their website states the opinion that it is one of the fastest growing political lobby groups in the UK. According to the Dispatches show, between 2006 and 2009, the CFI funded more than 30 Conservative parliamentary candidates to visit Israel.
CFI Annual Business Lunch
David CameronDavid Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
, then newly elected leader of the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
, addressed the CFI annual Business Lunch on 30 January 2006, whose audience included half of the Conservative Parliamentary Party. As part of his speech, he stated "I am proud not just to be a Conservative, but a Conservative friend of Israel; and I am proud of the key role CFI plays within our Party. Israel is a democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
, a strong and proud democracy, in a region that is, we hope, making its first steps in that direction."
Former Conservative party leaders Iain Duncan Smith
Iain Duncan Smith
George Iain Duncan Smith is a British Conservative politician. He is currently the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and was previously leader of the Conservative Party from September 2001 to October 2003...
and Michael Howard
Michael Howard
Michael Howard, Baron Howard of Lympne, CH, QC, PC is a British politician, who served as the Leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of the Opposition from November 2003 to December 2005...
have also addressed the CFI Business Lunch.
Donations
The DispatchesDispatches (TV series)
Dispatches is the British television current affairs documentary series on Channel 4, first transmitted in 1987. The programme covers issues about British society, politics, health, religion, international current affairs and the environment, usually featuring a mole in an organisation.-Awards:*...
documentary claimed members of the group and their companies have donated over £10 million to the Conservative party between 2001 and 2009. The group called this figure "deeply flawed" saying that they have only donated £30,000 between 2004 and 2009 but that members of the group have undoubtedly made their own donations to the party.Dispatches
Dispatches (TV series)
Dispatches is the British television current affairs documentary series on Channel 4, first transmitted in 1987. The programme covers issues about British society, politics, health, religion, international current affairs and the environment, usually featuring a mole in an organisation.-Awards:*...
described the CFI as "beyond doubt the most well-connected and probably the best funded of all Westminster lobbying groups".
Members of CFI
In alphabetical order, members of Conservative Friends of Israel include:- James ArbuthnotJames ArbuthnotJames Norwich Arbuthnot, MP is a British Conservative Party politician. He is the Member of Parliament for North East Hampshire.-Early life:...
MP - Graham BradyGraham BradyGraham Stuart Brady is a British Conservative Party politician and the Member of Parliament for Altrincham and Sale West. He served as a shadow minister for Europe under four Conservative leaders before resigning in 2007 in protest at David Cameron's opposition to grammar schools...
MP - Alistair BurtAlistair BurtAlistair James Hendrie Burt is a British Conservative Party politician. He is the Member of Parliament for North East Bedfordshire...
MP http://www.muslimnews.co.uk/news/news.php?article=18009 - James ClappisonJames ClappisonWilliam James Clappison, commonly known as James Clappison, British barrister and Conservative Party politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Hertsmere, and serves as Vice Chairman of the Conservative Friends of Israel group.-Personal life:The son of a Yorkshire farmer, James Clappison was...
MP, - Iain Duncan-Smith MP
- Liam FoxLiam FoxLiam Fox MP is a British Conservative politician, Member of Parliament for North Somerset, and former Secretary of State for Defence....
MP - Mike FreerMike FreerMichael Whitney Freer MP is a British politician. A Conservative, he was elected as the Member of Parliament for the constituency of Finchley and Golders Green at the 2010 general election...
MP - William HagueWilliam HagueWilliam Jefferson Hague is the British Foreign Secretary and First Secretary of State. He served as Leader of the Conservative Party from June 1997 to September 2001...
MP - Robert HalfonRobert HalfonRobert Henry Halfon is a British Conservative politician. He is the current Member of Parliament for Harlow, and was first elected at the 2010 general election.-Early life:...
MP - Richard Harrington MP
- Lord Stanley Kalms
- Malcolm RifkindMalcolm RifkindSir Malcolm Leslie Rifkind KCMG QC MP is a British Conservative Party politician and Member of Parliament for Kensington. He served in various roles as a cabinet minister under Prime Ministers Margaret Thatcher and John Major, including Secretary of State for Scotland , Defence Secretary and...
MP
See also
- Labour Friends of IsraelLabour Friends of IsraelLabour Friends of Israel is a lobby group promoting support within the British Labour Party for a strong bilateral relationship between Britain and Israel. It also seeks to strengthen ties between the British and the Israeli Labour party...
- Liberal Democrat Friends of IsraelLiberal Democrat Friends of IsraelLiberal Democrat Friends of Israel is a group whose stated objective is to 'maximise support for the State of Israel within the British Liberal Democrat Party', and to 'promote policies which lead to peace and security for Israel within a Middle East peace settlement'.President of Liberal Democrat...
- Northern Ireland Friends of IsraelNorthern Ireland Friends of IsraelNorthern Ireland Friends of Israel is a group dedicated to fostering better relations between Northern Ireland and the State of Israel. It was launched by the deputy ambassador of Israel, Talya Lador-Fresher, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews Henry Grunwald and former First...
- European Friends of IsraelEuropean Friends of IsraelEuropean Friends of Israel is a European lobby organization for Israel. It was established in September 2006, where 300 MEPs and national MPs took part in an opening ceremony...
- Friends of Israel InitiativeFriends of Israel InitiativeThe Friends of Israel Initiative is an international effort, to "seek to counter the attempts to delegitimize the State of Israel and its right to live in peace within safe and defensible borders", initiated and led by former Prime Minister of Spain and People's Party leader José María Aznar in...
External links
- Conservative Friends of Israel -- Official site