Matthew has received a response to his letter to Sainsbury's following a decision to remove Kosher foods from its Holborn store.

This action was reported to be because the products were manufactured in Israel but in fact, while some were sourced in Israel, others were produced in Poland and the United Kingdom.  

Matthew immediately wrote to the Chairman of Sainsbury's pointing out that the decision to remove such items therefore was not a response against the country of Israel but was anti-Jewish and a totally unacceptable discrimmination against a religious community.

Matthew has now received a full reply from the Chairman, David Tyler, which seeks to clarify the company's position and provide assurance that Sainsbury's has not and will not be banning the sale of produce from Israel. 

Matthew said: "The Chairman of Sainsbury's has provided some reassurance and I urge the company not to give in to those who are seeking the removal of goods produced in Israel. I also urge Ed Miliband to take steps against his own Labour MPs, including his Shadow Minister Shabana Mahmood, who lay in the street outside a Sainsbury’s store in Birmingham protesting that the store was ‘stocking goods from illegal settlements’. It is of huge concern that some people are trying to conflate the policies of a sovereign state with a religion. I have written to the Prime Minister and other government departments to make my concerns known."

Letter from Sainsbury's attached below