Ivan Lewis
From AICbackground
Minister of State for the Middle East
Quotes
“There is tragedy and trauma on both sides. It is essential that we send a clear and responsible message from the great city of Manchester that this community stands shoulder to shoulder with Israel.” (http://www.iengage.org.uk/component/content/article/389-pro-israel-mp-ivan-lewis-appointed-to-middle-east-team-at-foreign-office)
"We are not here to be a bunch of technocrats. I joined the Labour Party, like most of my colleagues, because I wanted to make a difference, and I wanted to change the world for the better. And obviously I wanted to do that in a way that was consistent with progressive values. How many people out there really believe any more that that's what people like me are about? That's what we need to turn around." (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/minister-attacks-too-timid-brown-881381.html)
"My responsibility for the Middle East peace process is particularly poignant. I have never hidden my pride at being Jewish or my support for the State of Israel". (http://www.sott.net/articles/show/186576-Gordon-Brown-puts-Israel-lobbyist-in-charge-of-Britain-s-Middle-East-policy)
Early Years and Education
You were born March 4th, 1967 in Prestwich, Bury. You attended William Hulme Grammer School located in Manchester England, Stand Sixth Form College, and Bury College. In 1990 you were married to Juliette Fox, and you have two sons. It is a well known fact that you are a Manchester City football fan.
Public Life
Since 1997 you have been a Member of Parliament for the Bury South district, voted in as a member of the Labour party. On May 1 of that year you took office officially, upending the Conservative Party MP (member of parliament) David Sumberg. You held several junior ministerial posts in the Treasury and the Department for Education and Skills. Also, you were the Parliamentary Private Secretary to Stephen Byers when he was the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. Stephen Byers was not the best liked person in the government, as his next position was considered a demotion. (Several things happened to make Byers an disliked man, including remarks over the 9/11 attacks in New York, and for his part in the MG Rover Group collapse that led to a huge burden on the UK taxpayer. Over the next ten years he experienced several controversies, including one that involved him using the taxpayers’ money for a second home). This position you held with Mr Byars is generally used as a stepping stone to becoming a Minister. The first major political office you held was Economic Secretary to the Treasury, the fifth and most junior ministerial post in the UK Treasury. Your next junior ministerial position was in the Department of Health and occurred during the Cabinet reshuffle of May 2006. On June 29, 2007 you were re-appointed to the post of Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Department of Health. This was a prominent selection because you were the only junior minister to survive the first reshuffle done by Gordon Brown as Prime Minister. On October 3, 2008 you were moved to the Department for International Development, a position previously held by Gillian Merron, and your old post was taken up by Phil Hope, both members of the Labour Party. The purpose of this position is to promote the development of third world countries, and eliminate world poverty. This position is beneficial to your current job, as there are numerous human rights violations occurring in the Middle East. Then, several months later you were once again promoted to Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on June 8, 2009, a position previously held by Bill Rammell. This office was created by the merging of the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office, with the goal of promoting the interests of the United Kingdom throughout the world. Your specific title is Minister of State for the Middle East. Your image has taken a hit due to a couple of controversial acts regarding your private life. In 2006, you left your wife and two kids for a 50-year old councilor named Margaret Gibb. In 2007, you were accused of texting inappropriate material to a 25-year old girl that worked in your office. When she let it be known what was going on, she was transferred and last year you issued an apology for what went on between the two of you. You have made a couple of enemies along the way, with the most obvious and well known one being Greg Mulholland, a Liberal Democrat. During a discussion on hospice spending, you were speaking and would not let Mr. Mulholland interrupt you. After several attempts at this, Mr. Mulholland proceeded to call you an “a*******”. You responded by saying that you hoped that he would learn from his mistake, as the use of such language was a negative example for the young people of England. The argument was a result of you criticizing Mr. Mulholland and his colleague about turning hospice funding into a party issue.
Beliefs and Policies Pertaining to the Middle East
You are a huge proponent of Israel. Being an English Jew, and very pro-Israel, you almost always find yourself favoring the Israeli view in the current conflict. You have a long history of concern about this region, as you were vice-chair of the Labour Friends of Israel, as well as a trustee of the Holocaust Education Trust, created with the goal of teaching the British youth about the Holocaust. The Labour Friends of Israel is a UK-Parliament based group that promotes a bilateral relationship between Britain and Israel. One of the goals is to strengthen relationships between the British and Israeli Labour Parties. One of the major policies of the group is to promote a two-state solution, with proper borders and Israel establishing its right as a state in the eyes of the Arab world, and Palestine becoming a state with the recognition of the entire world. During Israel’s campaign in Gaza during January of 2009, you consistently spoke your mind, defending Israel’s actions in many a speech. Recently, when you were promoted to Minister of State for the Middle East, you spoke with Parliament, discussing such things as your relationship with Iran after the election outbursts, (you advised against all travel there that is not essential), the Palestinian prisoners in Israel, (you said that you have called the Israeli government and recommend they take immediate actions to make sure that all cases are judged and ruled fairly), and nuclear weapons (you want to continue to work on the Road to 2010 plan). The Road to 2010 plan is a plan written by the British government, which outlines support for peaceful uses of nuclear power, but states that those with nuclear weapons need to continue to work towards disarmament, where in the end there is no need for the continued existence of nuclear weapons. Also, you will continue to work with the other nuclear countries to prevent proliferation resolving the immediate challenges presented by Iran and North Korea. Also during this speech, you said that you will support the two-state solution based on the 1967 borders, with Jerusalem as the capital of both Israel and Palestine. Another thing you have said is that the Israeli settlements will continue to be one of the major obstacles towards gaining peace in the region. Nevertheless, you do state that Israel is an ally and that you will continue to foster a close relationship with the nation. As you have previously stated, “[you] have never hidden [your] pride at being Jewish or [your] support for the State of Israel’s right to exist free from terror and hostility. Equally, [you] have always supported a two-state solution which gives the Palestinians freedom, dignity and control over their own lives.” However, there are many people in England who do not agree with your new position in government, being that you have been so openly pro-Israel. According to the Independent newspaper, your appointment “raised eyebrows in the Foreign Office…Earlier this year, [you] became one of the most outspoken political supporters of Israel’s military assault on Gaza.” The anti-Israel component of England is completely against your new role in government. They feel that you will be unfair to the rights of the Palestinians, and only promote the rights of the Israeli people.
Role Playing Notes
In an article you wrote for The Times, a British newspaper, you state that in this time of economic peril, one thing that the government must do is tax the highest income bracket even more. The government shouldn’t just ease up on the lowest, but also the middle income bracket, people on a fixed income. This is one thing you should think of when figuring out policy, because for you the economy at home is something that needs to be fixed, and you can not go off and accomplish all of your foreign policy goals while things on the home front are not working as planned.
During votes in Parliament, you have consistently voted against the rights of terrorists. In the Terrorism Bill on November 11, 2005 you voted FOR a government proposal to extend the maximum period for police detention of a terrorist suspect without charge to 90 days. Previously, on February 28 of that same year, you voted AGAINST an amendment to make all control orders at the discretion of a judge; this vote was titled the Prevention of Terrorism Bill.
Throughout the simulation, your foreign relation policies will most heavily revolve around nuclear weapons and Israel and Palestine. In both cases, your stance is pretty similar to that of the rest of the Western powers, in that you want to deal with Iran and North Korea before they become serious threats, and you want a two-state solution for the two constantly fighting nations of Israel and Palestine. However, when push comes to shove, you generally will lean towards the Israeli side, as your Jewish heritage makes you more prone to agree with their positions, as opposed to those of the Palestinians.
There will be many people who will not agree with your political stances, as well as many people who will not like your general demeanor. After the incident with your assistant, as well as the incident that occurred with Mr. Mulholland, there are people in Parliament who simply do not like you as a person. They think you feel that you are better than they are, and that you think your views are better than those held by others. Use this information to your advantage when dealing with others, as you can be standoffish--it is almost expected of you.
References
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7221750.stm
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm090701/text/90701w0012.htm
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm090713/text/90713w0024.htm
http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/media/224864/roadto2010.pdf
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article4547357.ece
