Ivan the Terrible

London Muslim is often amused when confronted with the rhetorical question how can you expect fairness and balance in British Foreign Policy towards Palestine when there are two Jewish Foreign Office Ministers in David Miliband and Ivan Lewis. I'm amused because of the hushed tones in which the subject is raised by people of all faiths and no faith.

While there is an element of unease approaching this subject ie questioning the possible inherent and favourable disposition of a British Jew as distinct from a Zionist towards the Israeli Occupiers it got me thinking if there were two Muslim Ministers in the Foreign Office would it be considered a legitimate debate to question what if any dual loyalties they may have based on religion.

The recent hysterical and racist reaction to Mehdi Hassan being appointed as Political Editor on the New Statesman and Sadiq Khan's elevation to Transport Minister leave me to believe that should we ever have two British Muslim Foreign Office Ministers one can imagine what sort of welcome-outrage they would receive from the Chiswick Witch Melanie Phillips, Stephen Pollard, Nick Cohen, David Aaronavitch, Danny Finkelstein, Martin Bright not to mention Harry's Place.

All of which brings me to the title of this post. London Muslim can exclusively reveal that Ivan Lewis our Labour Friend of Israel (LFI) Foreign Office Minister fresh from spouting off against Ken Livingstone is currently in the USA where he is having a number of discreet meetings with American Jews calling Britain a "a very warm friend of Israel".

London Muslim agrees with the point Lewis makes in the interview that it is mere coincidence the two most senior UK Foreign Office Ministers are Jewish which should be a matter of pride for the Jewish community. However, when you have a blatantly pro Israel zionist and former Vice Chair of LFI as a Foreign Office Minister in my opinion there needs to be a check and balance by ensuring a member of the Labour Friends of Palestine (LFP) is also in the Foreign Office. Alternatively, to ensure complete objectivity there should be no members of LFI or LFP in the Foreign Office.