Talk:Malcolm Rifkind

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[edit] Picture

That's a pretty awful picture, is there no better? Biddlesby 13:34, 28 June 2007 (UTC)

The point will soon be moot, since the picture in question is about to be speedily deleted for copyright reasons... -- simxp (talk)

[edit] Supporter of Israel

Could someone perhaps find a reference or a quote for the "strong supporter of Israel..." bit. There was one before, albeit a dead link, but this has now been removed completely. There doesn't appear to be anything about it in his official biography on the Conservative website. I checked the Conservative Friends of Israel website and couldn't find him anywhere on it.

Secondly, I am neither a huge fan of Rifkind, or even the Conservatives, but I also think the sentence is perhaps a little misleading, he is a supporter of Israel, like many other politicians in the House of Commons (many with no family there), but I wouldn't say he is a particularly "strong" one, meaning he doesn't seem emphasise it all the time, I certainly don't think of him as any kind of "apologist" (for want of a better term) for Israel, which I feel this sentence, sort of, implies. So unless there is a quote where he claims himself to be a "strong supporter..." I think the "strong", should perhaps be left out. He certainly takes an interest in the affairs of the Holy Land, through a quick google one could find that as defence minister he made assurances to Israeli leaders that Syria was ready to move forward with peace talks, working closely with Shimon Peres and in the same year, stood side by side with Yasser Arafat. Maybe worth pointing out that his support for Israel has not stopped him criticising actions of Israel that he believes to be wrong, and also emphasise that he is a supporter of Palestinians as much as he is the Israelis, I would direct anyone to his contribution to the House of Commons debate on the Gaza Strip on 18 June 2007 as evidence of this. Benson85 12:15, 19 July 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Scottish Conservative?

I understand that Rifkind is Scot by birth and culture, but, as he is elected MP in a constituency of London, I consider incorrect to describe him as a member of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. ---- Checco (talk) 17:35, 16 November 2007 (UTC)