Boris Johnson and Keir Starmer sign Holocaust book of commitment

Hundreds of MPs including Boris Johnson and Keir Starmer have reaffirmed their pledge to teach the lessons of the Shoah to the next generation.

The pair signed the Holocaust Educational Trust’s book of commitment in Parliament.

Writing in the book, the PM said it was his “privilege to listen to the testimony of Manfred Goldberg, who passed through several concentration campus in Lithuania and Poland. It is hard to imagine a childhood narrative that could be more horrific, or more powerful, or more important.

“It is vital that we not only conserve these memories of the Holocaust, but that we also pass them on, so that our children and grandchildren grasp this with the same shock and immediacy. We must use this testimony to banish all complacency from our hearts; because it is not enough to remember, we must make sure that everyday, in everything we do, we take action to stamp out prejudice and antisemitism in this country.

Labour leader Keir Starmer said the day was “an occasion to reflect, and remember the six million Jewish men, women and children and countless others, who were murdered or persecuted because of who they were.

“We must learn from the world’s darkest days and go forward to build a better, fairer, more just future for all. We have a duty to tackle prejudice and division, to honour the memories of those lost.

I have been honoured and inspired by the survivors I’ve met and the stories they’ve shared. Let us all recommit to being a force for good, to prevent future atrocities and to be the light in the darkness.”

In addition to the Prime Minister and Labour leader, other signatories include the Speaker of the House Hoyle, Chancellor, Rishi Sunak and London Mayor Sadiq Khan.

Karen Pollock, Chief Executive, Holocaust Educational Trust said: “As the Holocaust fades from living memory, it falls on all of us to ensure that their stories and the stories of the 6 Jewish million men, women and children brutally murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators, are never forgotten. We all have a duty to remember the Holocaust and to stand up against antisemitism and hate, now more than ever.

“We know that the leaders of our country are committed to remembering the Holocaust and learning its enduring lessons for today. By signing the Book of Commitment, they are reaffirming that support.”

After Johnson met Manfred Goldberg,vthe Holocaust Memorial Day Trust UK, Olivia Marks-Woldman, Chief Executive of the Trust said: “We are delighted that the Prime Minister met Manfred for the UK HMD Ceremony. Survivors are at the heart of Holocaust Memorial Day. Their lives are surely miracles – we must listen to them to remember and to learn from the past. I encourage everyone to watch the whole Ceremony and hear more first-hand accounts from survivors.”

HMDT’s Holocaust Memorial Day Ceremony will be broadcast online on 27 January at 7pm on hmd.org.uk.