At the age of 17, David Garrard volunteered for military service with the IDF. According to the Times, the trip was the “start of a lifelong devotion to the state of Israel”. In 2015, Garrard gave Andy Burnham £35,000 as he attempted to take control of the Labour Party.
Garrard, who passed away last year, was previously an executive director of the Labour Friends of Israel lobby group. Over a fifteen-year period, the former IDF operative donated approximately £1.5 million to Labour. Although born in the UK, Garrard later “acquired” Israeli citizenship.
In 2016, Garrard gave over £10,000 to then Labour MP Ian Austin. Austin also accepted a donation from the Australia Israel Cultural Exchange, a think tank co-founded by Benjamin Netanyahu. He now serves as Burnham’s UK Trade Envoy to Israel.
Pat McFadden also received over £10,000 from Garrard. McFadden, a former vice-chair of LFI, has previously been described as “the most powerful Labour politician most have never heard of”. Upon taking power, Burnham promptly appointed him to cabinet.
McFadden previously served as a deputy to disgraced Epstein-associate Peter Mandelson. Mandelson’s other deputy at the time was former Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy. In March 2015, Garrard gifted Lammy £7500.
Labour peer and newly-hired Palantir executive Tom Watson received £40,000 from David Garrard whilst serving as an MP. Addressing an Labour Friends of Israel lunch in 2016, Watson said it was a “special pleasure” to have Israeli ambassador Mark Regev in attendance. The Telegraph reported Garrard’s IDF stint as the start of a “lifelong attachment to the Israeli cause”.
Labour’s former Chancellor Rachel Reeves received even more, £44,000, from Garrard. Reeves has also been heavily financed by Victor Blank, vice president of the Jewish Leadership Council. Last year, Reeves praised Garrard for his “unsurpassed commitment to Israel”.
Under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership, Garrard said that Labour had been “hijacked by an ultra-left cabal” who wanted to “turn our nation into a socialist republic.” He immediately demanded the return of a £2 million loan. But under Starmer, Garrard rejoined.
The year after Burnham’s failed leadership bid, then Labour MP Chuka Umunna received £25,000 from David Garrard. On May 12th of this year, Umunna was spotted entering Downing Street. No. 10 insisted he was there for a “routine” visit. By July, Andy Burnham was Prime Minister.
Yvette Cooper also received £25,000 from Garrard. Under Keir Starmer, Cooper secured the proscription of Palestine Action. Then, shortly after Burnham took power, and despite her links to private healthcare donors, she was made Health Secretary.
Joan Ryan received over £18,000 from Garrard. Whilst serving as a Labour MP, Ryan was revealed to be talking to Israeli spy Shai Masot “most days”. She is now CEO of the UK branch of ELNET, a lobby group which lists the Israeli Foreign Ministry as one of its “partners”.
Ex-Labour minister Ivan Lewis received £10,000 from David Garrard. Lewis, a former LFI vice-chair, was suspended from the party in 2017 after allegations of sexual misconduct. According to his LinkedIn profile, Lewis is now a special adviser to the “Africa Israel Partnership”.