Prominent MPs are sent packing — but it is all in a good cause
PEERS AND MPs from across the political spectrum were sent packing on Tuesday for the Parliamentary launch of Mitzvah Day 2019.
To be precise, Liberal leader Vince Cable, Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry and Ian Blackford, leader of the SNP group at Westminster, were among those packing pencil cases for School Aid, which distributes educational essentials to a number of African countries.
Mr Cable said he admired Mitzvah Day’s success in encouraging “people of different faiths to come together in a common good cause. It has been doing this important and inspiring work for a decade.”
Ms Thornberry said she supported Mitzvah Day “because we are all one big community and we need to make sure we pay back. Events like this remind us all that we must always think about helping those less fortunate.” Mr Blackford praised Mitzvah Day as “an excellent grassroots initiative”. The 29 Parliamentarians also included Hampstead and Kilburn Labour MP Tulip Siddiq, who has been involved in Mitzvah Day for many years, doing “everything from cooking at JW3 to singing at the Spring Grove care home.
“What I love most about it is how it brings together all the different faith communities in our area — and indeed in the whole of the
UK.
“We face so many challenges today with racism, antisemitism and Islamophobia. But Mitzvah Day is a real show of strength and community spirit.
“It’s also a lot of fun!” The Westminster event was organised by the Board of Deputies and the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Jews.