Conservative Friends of Israel
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Conservative Friends of Israel (CFI) is a parliamentary group founded by the late Conservative MP for Bury and Radcliffe, Michael Fidler and currently chaired by Stuart Polak. The CFI states its main aim is to strengthen business, cultural and political ties between the UK and Israel.
The group's 2005 strategy identified the following areas of activity: supporting Israel, promoting the British Conservative Party, fighting terrorism, combating anti-semitism, and promoting peace in the Middle East.[1][dead link] According to their website, "over two thirds" of Conservative MPs were members of Conservative Friends of Israel in 2006.[2] In 2009, at least half of the shadow cabinet were members of the group according to a Dispatches documentary.[3]
In 2005, the Parliamentary Chairman was The Rt Hon James Arbuthnot, M.P., the Parliamentary President was Baroness Shephard of Northwold, Vice Chairmen were John Butterfill and James Clappison, Treasurer Nick Hawkins, Secretary David Amess and Chairman of CFI Europe Timothy Kirkhope.
Their website states the opinion that it is one of the fastest growing political lobby groups in the UK.[4]
Between 2006 and 2009, the CFI paid for more than 30 Conservative parliamentary candidates to visit Israel[3] . A Nov 2009 Dispatches documentary claimed that now around 80% of Conservative MPs are members of the CFI[5] and described them as "beyond doubt the most well- connected and probably the best funded of all Westminster lobbying groups".[3].
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[edit] Donations
According to a Dispatches documentary, 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.[3]
[edit] CFI Annual Business Lunch
David Cameron, then newly elected leader of the Conservative Party, addressed the CFI annual Business Lunch on 30 January 2006. 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."[6][dead link]
Former Conservative party leaders Iain Duncan Smith[7] and Michael Howard[8] have also addressed the CFI Business Lunch.[dead link]
[edit] See also
- Labour Friends of Israel
- Liberal Democrat Friends of Israel
- Northern Ireland Friends of Israel
- European Friends of Israel
[edit] References
- ^ CFI Informed Magazine, Second Edition, February 2007
- ^ Conservative Friends of Israel - About Us
- ^ a b c d Black, Ian (16 November 2009). "Pro-Israel lobby group bankrolling Tories, film claims". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/nov/16/pro-israel-lobby-conservatives-channel4-dispatches. Retrieved 2009-11-16.
- ^ Conservative Friends of Israel web site
- ^ Dispatches: Inside Britain's Israel Lobby. Channel 4 Monday 16th November 2009
- ^ CFI Annual Business Lunch, Informed (CFI Briefing), February 3, 2006
- ^ Duncan Smith: Israel has the right to defend itself against terrorists, Conservatives.com, December 10, 2001
- ^ Howard Speech to the Conservative Friends of Israel, at the Savoy Hotel, London, Conservatives.com, December 6, 2004
