Byers tipped for Jewish lobby job
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Your support makes all the difference.Stephen Byers is being tipped as the new chairman of the influential parliamentary pressure group Labour Friends of Israel, only two months after resigning from the Cabinet.
Mr Byers has emerged as favourite to take over the post from Jim Murphy, the MP for Eastwood, who resigned recently on being appointed a Government whip.
Prominent members of the Jewish community are backing Mr Byers, who has been an outspoken critic of attacks on Jews in Britain and has a long-standing interest in Anglo-Israeli relations. The committee wields considerable influence in Westminster and is routinely consulted by the Foreign Office and Downing Street on matters relating to the Middle East.
The new chairman will be charged with countering vocal criticism of Israel's conduct from pro-Palestinian Labour backbenchers.
Labour Friends of Israel, which has Tory and Liberal Democrat sister organisations, recently criticised Cherie Blair for publicly sympathising with Palestinian suicide bombers. It said the remarks by the Prime Minister's wife were "regrettable".
Mr Byers remains popular with Labour backbenchers despite the saga that ended his cabinet career. He is planning an active life as a backbencher with a series of lectures and papers on public policy reforms. The committee chairmanship would be seen by many as a stepping stone back to frontline politics.
Prominent members of the Jewish community spoke with approval of his work behind the scenes to help Jews in Britain who had been the victims of racist attacks. Mr Byers was the most senior politician to visit the site of a desecrated synagogue in north London.
Lord Janner of Braunstone, a Labour peer and the chairman of the Holocaust Educational Trust, backed Mr Byers. "When the synagogue was ransacked he was the cabinet minister who said ,'I am going.' He is well regarded in the Jewish community."
Mr Byers' main rival for the post is said to be Tom Watson, a former trade union official and up-and-coming Labour MP. The former minister may also face opposition from Gwyneth Dunwoody, the group's life president. The chairwoman of the House of Commons Transport Select Committee published highly critical reports in Mr Byers' time at the department.
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