Politics
Baroness Ruth Anderson appointed to government
Former Jewish Labour Movement (JLM) Parliamentary chair said she was ‘delighted’ to be appointed
July 12, 2024 14:26
Former Jewish Labour Movement (JLM) Parliamentary chair said she was ‘delighted’ to be appointed
July 12, 2024 14:26Baroness Ruth Anderson, the former MP and one of the leaders of the fight against antisemitism in the Labour Party under Jeremy Corbyn, has been appointed to a government position in the House of Lords.
Anderson was made a Government Whip and will be responsible for maintaining Labour Party discipline among Peers.
Anderson told the JC: “It’s been an incredible week as we’ve seen Keir Starmer become our new PM and I’m delighted to be joining his Labour government to make sure we deliver on our promises and change the country for the better.”
The former JLM Parliamentary chair was elected as the MP for Stoke-on-Trent North in 2015 but lost her seat in 2019, when Labour suffered their worst electoral defeat since 1935. She was elevated to the House of Lords by Sir Keir Starmer in 2022.
Earlier this week, Anderson wrote in the JC about how she thought the Labour Party had been transformed under Starmer’s leadership: “After tearing out the poisonous plant of antisemitism from my party by its roots, Keir (or the PM as I must get used to calling him) has managed to rebuild enough trust with you that Hendon, Finchley and Golders Green, Chipping Barnet, Bury North, Bury South and East Renfrewshire have all returned Labour MPs. And I genuinely don’t believe that anyone, regardless of their personal politics, considers a Labour government as an existential threat to our community – because it isn’t.”
The former JLM parliamentary chair is one of a number of Jewish members of Sir Keir Starmer’s new government.
Attorney General Richard Hermer KC was appointed by the Prime Minister last week. Joining him as one of the Law Officers is new Finchley and Golders Green MP Sarah Sackman, who was made Solicitor General.
Sackman was one of five MPs elected just two weeks ago who, in an unusual move by Starmer, have now been appointed to ministerial positions.
Another was Georgia Gould, freshly elected MP for Queen’s Park and Maida Vale, who is also Jewish, and was made a parliamentary secretary in the Cabinet Office.
Former Board of Deputies Chief Executive Baroness Gillian Merron was also appointed as a health minister. She told the JC she was “delighted” to be appointed and “truly proud to see so many fantastic Jewish Parliamentarians appointed to this Government’s Ministerial team. They will make a wonderful contribution along with the many Jewish MPs who have been elected.”