Former Home Secretary succeeds Stephen Crabb, emphasizing the importance of supporting Israel amid current challenges.

Suella Braverman MP, the former Home Secretary and Member of Parliament for Fareham and Waterlooville, has been appointed as the new Parliamentary Chair of the Conservative Friends of Israel (CFI). Braverman succeeds Stephen Crabb, who previously held the role but lost his parliamentary seat in the recent election.

A longstanding supporter of Israel, Braverman expressed her gratitude for the position, stating:
“I am honoured to become CFI’s new Parliamentary Chair in the House of Commons. There has never been a more important time to be a friend of Israel, and CFI’s work is critical. The new Labour Government’s actions are harming the vital UK-Israel relationship, and we will continue to hold the Government to account at every turn.”

Braverman first engaged with CFI in 2015 when she joined a parliamentary delegation to Israel shortly after entering the Commons. Throughout her political career, she has been a vocal advocate for Israel and a strong critic of pro-Palestinian demonstrations, particularly following the events of October 7th. As Home Secretary, she referred to these demonstrations as “hate marches” and criticised the Metropolitan Police’s handling of the protests—comments that, while supported by some, sparked controversy and accusations of divisiveness.

Her husband, Rael Braverman, who is Jewish, recently announced his decision to leave the Conservative Party to join Reform UK. However, Suella Braverman has publicly stated she has no immediate plans to follow suit.

The Conservative Friends of Israel, which faced setbacks in the last election when several key parliamentary allies either lost their seats or retired, remains committed to reasserting its influence.

Lord Pickles has been confirmed to remain as CFI’s Chair in the House of Lords. Meanwhile, CFI Honorary President Lord Polak CBE and CFI Chair Jeremy Brier KC welcomed Braverman’s leadership, saying:
“We are thrilled to have Suella as our new Parliamentary Chair in the House of Commons. She will lead CFI’s new Parliamentary Group from the front, bringing her invaluable experience as a former Home Secretary and Attorney General. Suella’s support for Israel is well established, and we are delighted to welcome her to this new role.”

Under Braverman’s leadership, CFI aims to strengthen its voice within Westminster and ensure continued advocacy for a robust UK-Israel relationship. Photo by UK Government, Wikimedia commons.