How Israel funds UK parliamentary staff
JOHN McEVOY | Israel is quietly financing assistants of British MPs, Declassified has found. | Israel has paid for at least a dozen UK parliamentary staff to visit the country on special delegations in the last five years. ■ A further 18 staffers have accepted funding or hospitality from pro-Israel lobby organisations in Britain such as Labour Friends of Israel and We Believe in Israel. Several worked for MPs in Keir Starmer’s front bench team, including shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves, shadow health secretary Wes Streeting and shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson. ■ Our investigation found how the Israeli embassy in London, its ministry of foreign affairs and associated lobby groups seek to influence not only MPs but also their assistants. ■ Declassified previously revealed that one in four British MPs in the last parliament accepted funding from pro-Israel lobby groups or individuals.