JUDGING KAUFMAN

His Honour Judge Barrington Black need not berate himself ( JC, Nov 12) for his childhood connection with Sir Gerald Kaufman. When I attended Council School in Leeds there was recorded in the Headmaster’s 1940 diary a list of scholarship winners and my name appeared next to his. I accept no responsibility.

His attitude is far more recent as he was brought up in what was at that time probably the strongest Zionist-orientated home in Leeds. Until June 1977, there was no better spokesman for Israel in this country than Kaufman. Following the election of Menachem Begin’s Likud, Kaufman reversed into the virulent antagonism that he continues to display until this day, despite subsequent short- term, left-wing Knessets.

With regard to his disgraceful statement about “Jewish money” influencing the Conservatives, even if that was possible, it has not had any effect.

For a number of years I have monitored Parliamentary Early Day Motions and debates relating to Israel. My lists show that there are more than twice as many anti-Israel Labour MPs than there are pro-Israel Conservative ones. I am certain that Kaufman also knows this. Percy Stern, Leeds LS17