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Conservative Friends of Palestine

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Conservative Friends of Palestine
AbbreviationCfoP
FormationMay 2023; 1 year ago (2023-05)[1]
FounderSayeeda Warsi, Flick Drummond
Location
  • United Kingdom
Chair
Sayeeda Warsi, Baroness Warsi[2]
AffiliationsConservative Party
Websitewww.cfopalestine.uk

The Conservative Friends of Palestine (CFoP) is a parliamentary group within the British Conservative Party that promotes and advocates for "peace and justice" in Palestine[3] and is currently chaired by ex-cabinet minister Sayeeda Warsi, Baroness Warsi[2] who co-founded it with Flick Drummond.[4]

Within the first two months of founding, there were 35 Conservative MP and members of the House of Lords in the group, making up just 6% of the total, in contrast to Conservative Friends of Israel which represent two thirds of Conservative parliamentarians.[1][5]

Founding

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It was founded in May 2023[1] with the view of being a vehicle "to provide accurate and balanced information to parliamentarians on the issue of Palestine and Israel" and was originally intended to be named the Conservative Friends of Palestine and Israel to reflect this. The perceived lack of balance within the party led to its current name.[6] Its founding was welcomed by Ben Jamal, the Director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign stating that "any counter to the dominant voice of Conservative Friends of Israel in the Conservative Party is to be welcomed."[6] It was founded as a "platform to engage and learn beyond the narrow remit" of Conservative Friends of Israel.[7]

Since its founding it has engaged directly with the British-Israel and British-Palestinian communities[7] and currently works with the pro-Palestinian[4] Conservative Middle East Council to helping "lawmakers grasp the region as a whole."[6]

A Conservative Friends of Palestine group was launched at a meeting addressed by the PLO's London representative, Faisal Oweida, at the Conservative Party Conference in Blackpool in October, 1989.[8]

An unrelated, grass-root group founded in 2019 also previously existed with the same name but disbanded in late 2022,[6] which Flick Drummond claims that she and Warsi "re-founded".[7][4]

Current parliamentary members

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As of 2024, the parliamentary members of the group are:[9]

MP Constituency
Flick Drummond Meon Valley
Richard Fuller North East Bedfordshire
Leo Docherty Aldershot
Jonathan Lord Woking
Neil O'Brien Harborough
Mark Pritchard The Wrekin
Edward Leigh Gainsborough

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Hawari, Yara (2 June 2023). "The Tories can never be true friends of Palestine". Al Jazeera English. Al Jazeera Media Network. Archived from the original on 8 May 2024. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  2. ^ a b Oborne, Peter (11 September 2023). "Boycott bill: Britain's political gift to Netanyahu". Middle East Eye. Sussex Place, London. Archived from the original on 8 May 2024. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  3. ^ "About CFoP". Conservative Friends of Palestine. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
  4. ^ a b c Shehadi, Lemma (16 May 2023). "New Conservative parliamentary group calls for UK recognition of Palestine". The National News. Abu Dhabi: International Media Investments. Archived from the original on 8 May 2024. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  5. ^ Drummond, Flick (19 December 2023). "Flick Drummond: It's time for Britain to say enough. We need a lasting ceasefire in Gaza now". Conservative Home. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  6. ^ a b c d McAlpin, Nick (19 May 2023). "EXCLUSIVE: UK Conservative lawmakers create Palestine group". The New Arab. London: Fadaat Media. Archived from the original on 9 June 2023. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  7. ^ a b c McAlpin, Nick (26 May 2023). "Over 35 UK Conservative lawmakers join new Palestine group". The New Arab. London: Fadaat Media. Archived from the original on 8 May 2024. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  8. ^ The American Jewish Year Book, Vol. 91. 1991. p. 248.
  9. ^ "Parliamentary Supporters". CFoP. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
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