About the speaker:

Born in Burnley 65 years ago, Sir Vincent studied French and German at Sheffield, then joined the Diplomatic Service. He learned some Arabic, and divided his time between Europe and the Middle East. There he served in Baghdad, Damascus, as Ambassador in Tripoli and as Consul-General, Jerusalem, talking to Palestinians in East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza – the Occupied Palestinian Territories - on behalf of our Government. He retired after 3 years in Jerusalem, in 2014. Now he chairs the Libyan British Business Council, and is a member of the Palestine Britain Business Council. He is a trustee of the British charity Medical Aid for Palestinians, and a patron of the Britain Palestine Friendship and Twinning Network. Jerusalem clearly made its mark.

This evening Sir Vincent will draw on his experience there to explain why he still believes in a 2 state outcome to the Israel/Palestine conflict, ending the 1967 occupation, as the best outcome for both peoples – and why that solution is evaporating before our eyes, and will disappear unless decisive political action is taken. But who will take that action?