Paul Edlin, Vice-President of the Board of Deputies, has reneged on his commitment to debate with Dr Brian Klug about Independent Jewish Voices. His ostensible reason for cancellation was that the title of the meeting was not what he had agreed. GJEF disputed this, but, in an effort to facilitate the meeting, asked him to put forward his own title. He maintained his refusal.
Instead, he has suggested that he would like GJEF to give him a platform to have a discussion with the Glasgow Jewish Representative Council. Paul Edlin is the Honorary Treasurer of that organisation so the reality is that he would like to have a conversation with himself. GJEF turned this option down immediately.
We will now actively pursue a replacement speaker who is prepared to have a meaningful debate with IJV and will announce this shortly. GJEF are merely facilitating a debate to allow the community to discuss what we believe is a critical issue, and we are completely impartial on the issue of IJV.