Analysis and views from the JC reporters

Zac Goldsmith was running forty minutes late for his tour around Golders Green over the weekend.

The Conservative candidate for Mayor of London in next month’s election, Mr Goldsmith, whose grandfather Frank was Jewish, spent last Sunday touring north-west London with lobby group Conservative Friends of Israel.

Outside a kosher restaurant in Golders Green, I asked locals what they thought of Mr Goldsmith’s candidacy ahead of his arrival. Would he be a good mayor for London’s Jewish community? Were they excited? Who would they vote for - and why?

By chance, the first woman I met, Daniella from Willesden in Brent, was once a tribal Labourite. But she admitted that in the wake of leader Jeremy Corbyn’s perceived failure to tackle antisemitism within the party, she would find it hard to vote Labour in forthcoming elections - including the mayoral one.

In fact, she might be inclined to Back Zac, provided he could convince her that he would improve education in the capital, housing and safeguards for people with disabilities.

But overall, she was uninspired by the mayoral race.

She said: “I still don't know who I would vote for - and still don't know where I stand on Brexit.

"I am Jewish and I care about Jewish issues, but it is not all I vote on. If I did, I would go and live in Israel.

“Issues relating to Israel and extremism are just as important as education and housing. But I do hope we have leaders who stand up against antisemitism. We have to live in a tolerant society.

“I would have gone for Labour, but I don’t like Jeremy Corbyn. I worry that his policies aren’t realistic."

It was a sentiment echoed by Harry Goldstein, from Southgate. Mr Goldstein, in his 60s, was stood by a North London Friends of Israel stand outside Carmelli’s kosher bakery on the high street. A co-founder of the grassroots lobby group, Mr Goldstein said he had been a member of the Labour party for 30 years - but quit in December.

He would too consider voting for Mr Goldsmith, noting that the rise of antisemitism and anti-Israel activism in the UK had concerned him.

Then, the royal blue #BacZac bus pulled up opposite the bakery.

The crowd who surrounded Mr Goldsmith, it has to be said, had largely poured out of the bus on which he had arrived. A crowd of 70 people held up blue banners, while photographers ordered the politician to strike a pose as he walked from shop to shop.

He had already picked up a smoked salmon bagel from Grodzinski in Edgware, so he left Carmelli’s with a bag of Rugelach.

Mike Freer, Tory MP for Finchley and Golders Green, suggested he pop into factory outlet Gold’s for some new shoes – just as Boris Johnson had done back when he last campaigned around the area.

Just as quickly as he was rushed in, he rushed out – without any new shoes.

The campaign ended with a rallying cry from Mr Goldsmith to supporters, who congregated at Jewish employment centre Work Avenue in Finchley.

He urged people to vote for him to prevent Labour rival Sadiq Khan being elected. Mr Khan is currently leading the polls.

Mr Goldsmith has a strong record on pro-Israel statements and his commitment to fighting extremism in the UK - the community knows, and I'm sure, appreciates that.

But I have always wondered where Mr Goldsmith, an animal rights activist, stands on shechita – given that so many animal rights groups have lobbied against the act of religious slaughter.

So I asked him.

“I don’t share the views of the animal rights groups on this," he says, confidently. "I’ve had letters from constituents over the years on this.

“My interest in animal welfare is in the lives that animals lead – that they have the best possible life until they reach the end.

“Some of mega-dairies deprive animals of basic welfare. I think the focus on religious slaughter is misplaced. I don’t think it’s touching an issue that is real from an animal welfare point of view.

“It is important to protect religious slaughter. It is a right which must be protected.”

Later that day, he promised supporters that he would double the number of police constables in Barnet.

He said: “"The first duty of the Mayor of London is to keep Londoners safe. My action plan for Greater London will mean more police officers on the streets in Barnet and more police across our transport network.

“I am the only candidate who can work with the Government to protect London’s economy and have already proved this by securing a deal from government to protect the police budget over the course of this parliament.”

CFI Executive Director James Gurd said: “Zac has been a consistent and genuine supporter of London’s Jewish community and Israel as seen by the incredible support he received in north London.

“A Labour win in London would give Jeremy Corbyn power in the world’s greatest city; a dangerous experiment and one Londoners must strongly reject by backing Zac on the 5th May."

Sandy Rashty is a Senior Reporter at the JC