Jewish Labour Movement member Sara Conway has been selected as Labour’s parliamentary candidate in the marginal seat of Finchley and Golders Green at the next election - and has pledged to be a “strong voice” on the “two key issues” of Brexit and antisemitism.
Ms Conway – who has served as Labour councillor for the Burnt Oak ward - came ahead of former parliamentary candidate Christian Wolmar, Corbynite teacher Maryam Asaria and social worker Roly Hunter.
She will challenge Tory MP Mike Freer, whom previous challengers Alison Moore, Sarah Sackman and Jeremy Newmark failed to unseat in the last three polls.
Reacting to Sunday’s victory in a constituency where Jews make up 21 per cent of the electorate, Ms Conway said: “I will be a strong voice on Brexit and antisemitism, which are the two key issues which are of most concern to members and residents.
“I fought for the motion for a second referendum at our party conference. On antisemitism I have been a consistent and solid voice for dialogue, empathy and education, but also for a party where we are clear that it is not acceptable. I will never be afraid to have the tough conversations that need to be had.”
Ms Conway, who is married with three children and Barnet Labour’s lead on communities and libraries, has taken the fight to the Tories locally and relishes doing the same nationally to help bring about a Labour government.
She added: “I have real understanding of our local communities from regular campaigning in Finchley and Golders Green over the past two years.
“I have seen every day how hard life has been for many people and how Tory austerity has done so much damage to schools, local services and social care.”
In the 2017 general election, the gap between Mr Freer and former JLM chair Mr Newmark was just 1,657 votes.
Last year, in an appearance on LBC, Ms Conway discussed the personal impact of Labour’s antisemitism crisis on her.
She said: “There’s a fracturing that’s been there since Brexit… for the Jewish community there’s been a lot of issues around antisemitism in Europe as well.
“It is something we carry with us, it’s a deep, visceral fear. I’m sitting here with memories of my grandma who ran away from Poland - we all have those stories.
“The sort of storm that there is on social media from activists from parts of the Labour Party, from all sorts of voices, it needs our leader to calm that down.”
Last October there was widespread communal anger when Jenny Manson, the co-chair of the pro-Corbyn Jewish Voice For Labour group, launched a campaign to stand for Labour in Finchley and Golders Green supported by shadow chancellor John McDonnell.
