The Board of Deputies has announced Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, as the guest of honour for its annual dinner, with the Board’s president expressing “delight” at his acceptance.

Marie Van der Zyl said that the organisation “can think of no-one better to address the community’s hopes and concerns, at this challeng­ing time for our community.

“Sadiq has been very sup­portive of our commu­nity, speaking out on Labour’s antisemitism crisis and calling for the proscription of Hezbol­lah. Nobody will forget that Sadiq’s very first engagement as Mayor [in 2016] was to attend the community’s Yom Has­hoah commemoration.”

As Labour ’s most senior politician in elected office, Mr Khan has played an active role in interfaith events with the Jewish community, and has spoken publicly on a number of occasions about his concern at the antisemitism with­in his own party, saying that it was “not doing enough” to address the problem, and that it was “depress­ing, saddening and completely unac­ceptable”.

When last month the Evening Standard published an editorial accusing the Mayor of not speak­ing up on the issue of antisem­itism within his own party, a number of prominent Jews criticised the accusation as erroneous.

The Board’s dinner will be held on Monday November 5. Previous guests of honour include Ruth Davidson, David Mili­band, the Archbishop of Can­terbury and Theresa May, when she was Home Secretary.

A spokesperson for the Mayor of London said: “The Mayor is honoured to have accepted an invitation to this year’s annual dinner of the Board of Deputies of British Jews. He is proud that London is a city that celebrates and embraces diversity, and is a place where people of all faiths are able to join together as friends and neighbours.

“Our religious communities make a huge contribution to all aspects of life in our city and the Mayor looks forward to celebrating London’s Jewish communities, as well as listening to their concerns and hopes for the future, at the President’s Dinner later this year.”