Jewish Labour figures Mike Katz and Luciana Berger nominated for House of Lords

Sir Keir Starmer has nominated two prominent Jewish labour figures, Mike Katz and Luciana Berger, for peerages in the House of Lords.

The two Jewish Labour figures were among 30 individuals nominated by Prime Minister Keir Starmer in a list of political peerages published on Friday.

The nominations were officially recognised by the King, who has signified his intention to confer life peerages on them.

Luciana Berger, the former Member of Parliament for Liverpool Wavertree, has long been a significant figure in British politics.

But she quit Labour in protest over antisemitism in Labour under Jeremy Corbyn, returning only under Starmer’s leadership. She is currently Chair of the Maternal Mental Health Alliance.

Mike Katz, has been the National Chair of the Jewish Labour Movement since 2019, has been a prominent voice within the Labour Party, especially during its battle to address antisemitism.

A former Camden Councillor, Katz has been an instrumental figure in advocating for Jewish communities, working to ensure that Labour remains a welcoming and inclusive space for all.

He has also been at the forefront of efforts to rebuild the party’s relationship with Jewish voters after the antisemitism crisis that plagued the party in recent years.

Katz shared his pride in the nomination with the JC saying, “It is an extraordinary honour and privilege to have been asked by the Prime Minister to join the House of Lords as a Labour peer. Having fought for Labour values all my life, it is hugely exciting to be able to support the Government as it delivers its agenda for change."

Katz also highlighted his commitment to continuing the fight against antisemitism, calling it "toxic racism," and vowed to work towards building stronger community ties in his new role.

He added, “I will always be proud of the work we in the Jewish Labour Movement undertook during Labour’s antisemitism crisis to help save the Party and make it electable once more."

Former chair of Labour Friends of Israel (LFI) Steve McCabe also made it onto the list of nominees. 

And LFI Director Michael Rubin expressed his delight at the nomination of the former LFI Chair, calling him “a tremendous addition to the Labour benches in the Lords.”

Rubin praised McCabe’s distinguished career as a long-serving Labour MP and highlighted his pivotal role in restoring Labour’s traditional support for both the Jewish community and the State of Israel during his leadership of LFI.