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Concern as Alan Duncan gets FCO post

July 21, 2016 10:20
Theresa May's ministers were all in place as she faced her first Prime Minister's Questions this week

ByMarcus Dysch, Marcus Dysch

2 min read

Theresa May's cabinet has fewer Jewish ministers than any government for a decade, but the appointment of a number of key ministers will draw the interest of the community.

Sir Alan Duncan's new role as a Foreign Office minister was attacked by Labour MP Louise Ellman at a Board of Deputies meeting on Sunday.

Mrs Ellman said Sir Alan had, in October 2014, referred to the United States being "in hock to a very important financial lobby which dominates its politics". His remarks were made the day after he launched a blistering attack on the Israeli government's settler policy, comparing it to Argentina's invasion of the Falkland Islands and Saddam Hussein's claim to Kuwait.

Referring to Jewish people becoming involved in politics, Sir Alan had also said: "We need British Jews for the Conservative, Labour, or other UK parties; not the Israeli lobby for any party."