Ex-Board of Deputies president Marie van der Zyl joins Labour

The former president of the Board of Deputies, Marie van der Zyl, has joined the Labour Party after stepping down from her role at the end of May after six years in office.

She said she had never previously joined a political party but was now proud to join Labour.

“I feel that Keir Starmer has stuck to his words and done everything possible to deal with antisemitism,” she said.

Van der Zyl had been on the advisory board on antisemitism set up by the party in 2020 after a damning report by the Equality and Human Rights Commission.