Earlier this week, Theresa May sent out a tweet wishing Jewish people a happy Chanukah – the Jewish ‘Festival of Lights’ that marks the rededication of the second Temple.
She had also arranged a reception in honour of the festival at Number 10 and invited a number of prominent members of the Jewish community – but failed to put in an appearance.
One attendee at the event told the SKWAWKBOX:
I was invited to Downing Street to the Chanukah event but she didn’t turn up. It seems the Tories think they can do what they like, but it was a clear snub.
The SKWAWKBOX contacted Downing Street just after the event and was promised an explanation, but none has been received.
The Jewish Chronicle made the barest of mentions of her absence, claiming she was unable to get away from the House of Commons. Instead it opted to focus on a speech by the Chief Rabbi praising May’s ‘fortitude and resilience’ and claiming she is respected ‘across the political spectrum’ – and used a photograph from a different reception last week to create an impression of May among Jewish guests:
The Tories were recently the only group at the European Parliament to vote against a move to sanction Hungarian premier Viktor Orbán for antisemitism, racism, misogyny and homophobia. Orbán used a further antisemitic smear to dismiss the report.
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