British Tories may elect Jewish party leader: LEAVE IT TO THE CONSERVATIVES

Ha'aretz ^ | Last Update: 30/10/2003 18:38 | By Sharon Sadeh, Haaretz Correspondent, and Agencies

[Cinnamon Girl]

Veteran lawmaker Michael Howard. (Archives)

LONDON - For the first time in more than 100 years, the British Conservative Party could have a Jewish leader. The party's ousting of Iain Duncan Smith now paves the way for Michael Howard to take over the leadership as a compromise candidate meant to avoid an internal party fight.

Not since Benjamin Disraeli has there been a Jewish head of the Tories. Howard, the son of a Romanian-Jewish immigrant who adopted the Howard name to blend into his Welsh village, belongs to St. John's Wood synagogue in London.

Many Tories' hopes appear to rest on Howard, 62, a respected veteran lawmaker who served as home secretary, Britain's top law enforcement official, under former prime minister John Major. Born in Wales, he is regarded as a Thatcherite who believes strongly in the free market and private enterprise, and is wary of closer British involvement in the EU.

Howard, who announced his candidacy for the post of Tory leader on Thursday, failed to win the leadership in 1997.

Political commentators give Howard little chance of actually leading the party to victory in elections scheduled two years from now. They say he has a problematic image, but many believe his analytic capabilities, combined with rhetorical skills, could help him consolidate the party toward electoral success in 2009.

Howard's interest in politics was evident from a young age. He joined the Young Conservatives at the age of 15 and later quickly carved out a glittering legal career as a Cambridge-educated barrister.

Howard entered parliament in 1983 after being elected to a safe Tory seat. He won his first government post in 1985 and rose to cabinet rank for the first time in 1990.

When Margaret Thatcher resigned in 1990, he swiftly transferred his allegiance to her successor, John Major, who gave him the environment brief before becoming Home Secretary.

Known as warmly pro-Israel and a great defender of the country when it comes under attack, Howard's Jewish roots are almost never mentioned in British politics, where references to such matters are taboo.

Howard married former model Sandra Clare in 1975 and they have a son and a daughter.

[Cinnamon Girl]

Did anyone watch the Democrat debates last Sunday? Along with family status, the religions of all the candidates was posted on the screen. How weird is that? I've never seen that before.

Attention Freeper "humanshield": How come the Romanians get it?

[Unam Sanctam]

So what? Disraeli was not so bad.

[thoughtomator]

Saint John's Wood Synagogue? Somebody please tell me the "saint" part is just the name of the town!

[keithtoo]

This ought to bring out the Brit-Lefty's brewing anti-Semitism.

In the meantime, the fact that he's Jewish is a 'who-cares' issue.

By the way, Disraeli was Christian convert.

[pabianice]

One of the news stories purposefully ignored by a hideously biased Left Wing media is the quickly growing number of US Jews who are politically conservative. To quote a bad movie from the 60s, "It's coming, man, and you can't do a thing to stop it!"

[Cinnamon Girl]

I thought that was funny, too. But then, there are plenty of jews in Santa Monica.

[Cinnamon Girl]

That is what I'm anticipating, that the British Left's raging hatred of Israel will be the basis for attacks against this guy.

[Haymarket]

St John's Wood is an inner London suburb.

[witnesstothefall]

Leave it to the conservatives.


What the hell is that supposed to mean?

[Cinnamon Girl]

I didn't mean for it to be confusing. Conservatives, in the U.S. and apparently in the U.K. are really the more inclusive party, because it's about shared conservative values, not color or religion. And in both the U.S., the U.K. and Israel, it is the conservative parties which are pro-Israel, and recognize the dangers of muslim terrorist states.

[witnesstothefall]

Thanks for clarifying. You might consider asking Admin to modify. Your amended headline can be read offensively.

[JesusIsLord]

By the way, Disraeli was Christian convert.

So were, Matthew, Mark, John and Paul.

[dennisw]

+Won't You Come Home, Disraeli BY Allen Sherman

(sung to the tune of "Won't you Come Home Bill Baily")




When Benjamin Disraeli was Prime Minister of England,
And good old Queen Victoria was the Queen,
Whenever she would need him for official palace business,
Disraeli, he was nowhere to be seen.
She went down to 10 Downing Street,
The doorbell there she rang,
And when there was no answer,
This is what the good Queen sang:
Won't you come home, Disraeli. Won't you come home.
Come home to Queen Victoria.
Don't leave that House of Commons, and that House of Lords.
Just sittin' waitin' for ya.
I'm gettin' awful lomesome, 'cause all I do
Is sit here reading Ethan Frome.
Now don't leave me flat,
The key to the palace is under the mat.
Disraeli, won't you please come home.
Won't you come home, Disraeli. Won't you come home.
Come home to Queen Victoria.
Don't leave that House of Commons, and that House of Lords.
Just sittin' waitin' for ya.
You claim official business took you away
To Egypt, and Bombay, and Rome.
Well, I ain't so certain,
'Cause you're the Nineteenth Century Richard Burton,
Disraeli, won't you please (I miss you, Dizzy)
Disraeli, won't you please,
Disraeli, won't you please,
Disraeli, won't you please come home.

[TheAngryClam]

Communist persecution does that to you.

Another example: Judge Alex Kozinski, aka "The mad Romanian," who sits on the Ninth Circuit.

[wardaddy]

Your amended headline can be read offensively.

Actually I think most of us knew immediately what she meant. That Conservatives are more likely to take an objective view of a Jew as Tory leader in England and that he would probably have better sense about Israel hopefully than most of the left there and here.

I have little doubt that the first Black, Female, Hispanic or Jewish POTUS here when it happens will be Conservative and not of the pandering Party(s).

Nothing "offensive" about all that....

[Cinnamon Girl]

Good one. That's what I get from "humanshield." They know how bad communism sucks and they want to get as far away from it as possible.

[witnesstothefall]

Perhaps "most" did. Perhaps "most" didn't. Perhaps "most" who read the headline didn't bother to comment on this thread, so perhaps we can't know what "most" cognitive responses might be.

Leave it like it is then, if you prefer it that way.

[Cinnamon Girl]

I am Jewish and a conservative Republican. This is my impression of conservatives-- they aren't about minority groups-- their about political philosophy common ground.

[witnesstothefall]

I agree with you, and it's clear after reading the article. But the way the headline is written, as I said, can be read offensively.

Most every time you see the expression, "Leave it to X,", the expression is used to point out somebody doing something wrong.

I don't wish to give offense myself. Only a friendly suggestion.