The senior vice president of the Board of Deputies held a “positive” private meeting with Jenny Rathbone – the Labour politician under investigation by the party for suggesting Jewish people's security fears were "in their own heads", the JC can reveal.

The Board’s Sheila Gewolb met with Ms Rathbone just over one month ago in London for talks only a few weeks after Board President Marie van der Zyl had labelled the politician's remarks “inexcusable”.

Ms Gewolb met with her days before the start of the new year, despite the furore over Ms Rathbone’s comments – which resulted in her suspension from the Welsh Labour group.

The JC revealed in January how the Welsh Labour group had reinstated Ms Rathbone over fears that a suspension was bad for her health.

But a spokesperson for UK Labour confirmed Ms Rathbone was still under investigation for her remarks.

Ms Rathbone confirmed to the JC she met Ms Gewolb saying: “It was very positive. Sheila is excellent – a forward looking individual.

“It was a very productive meeting as far as I was concerned. I’m looking forward to further meetings.”

Ms Rathbone – a strong supporter of Jeremy Corbyn -  revealed that she had initiated the meeting the Board “the day after” the JC published a recording in November of the Cardiff Central AM being asked about increased security measures at the city’s main synagogue.

The recording revealed she said: "The fact that the Jewish synagogue in Cyncoed is, is become one of these, you know, fortress, is really uncomfortable.

"How much of it is for real and how much of it is in their own heads is really hard for an outsider to judge, but I think siege mentalities are also part of it."

Ms Rathbone also said hostile behaviour towards Jews is driven by the behaviour of the Israeli government, and that British Jews had a "responsibility" to promote peace in the Middle East.

Rabbi Michoel Rose of Cardiff Synagogue, to whom the politician later apologised, said the comments "seemed to imply that the Jewish community in this country was to blame for violence and hatred in this country" and called them "extremely offensive".

The Jewish Labour Movement said Ms Rathbone was unfit to serve in Welsh Assembly or to remain a Labour Party member without “a full and unreserved apology”.

Speaking for the Board, Mrs van der Zyl said in November: “These comments are inexcusable.

She says it is ‘uncomfortable’ for outsiders to see the local synagogue be protected like a ‘fortress’ and that these necessary security measures are somehow part of the Jewish community’s collective paranoia.

"In light of the Pittsburgh massacre, and the ongoing terrorist threat to Jews around the world, she should immediately disown these remarks.

 “The Labour Party should be ashamed that yet another example has emerged of its elected representatives blaming Jews for the tragedies that befall them. But we are long past being surprised.”

The Welsh AM was also later revealed to have tweeted a further message which seemed to blame rising antisemitism in the UK on the actions of the Israeli government.

On Tuesday, the JC revealed Mrs van der Zyl held a private meeting with Jennie Formby, Labour’s general secretary, one month ago without the consent or knowledge of the main Jewish communal organisations.

A Board of Deputies spokesperson said the meeting with Ms Rathbone went ahead "after we were told that she wanted to apologise for the words she used and the hurt caused to the Jewish community".

The spokesperson added: "We put to her in no uncertain terms that actions will always matter more than words.

"She told us that she wanted to work with the Jewish community to understand contemporary antisemitism and to educate herself and her party on what more can be done to repair the relationship between Labour and British Jews.

"Ultimately, we will reserve judgement on her apology until she demonstrates that she is willing and able to learn from her mistakes.

"We were therefore hugely disappointed when Ms Rathbone was readmitted so quickly to the Welsh Labour Group. Sheila Gewolb wrote to the Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford a few weeks ago to express our deep concern at her readmittance, which was rash and callous.”