Burnham: ‘What you’ve seen this week is action to apprehend those plotting against British Jews’

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has responded for the first time to the arrests of two men suspected of plotting a terrorist attack against the Jewish community in Manchester on the eve of Yom Kippur.

In an interview ahead of the start of Labour’s annual conference on Sunday, Burnham acknowledged it had been another terrifying week for the community. He was pressed on what “rooting out antisemitism at source” truly means in practice.

The PM told ITV North West and Yorkshire: “I think it means what you’ve seen this week, which is action to apprehend those, plotting against the Jewish community here in Manchester, but elsewhere in the country… plotting to cause harm and violence.”

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But Burnham admitted: “I know it won’t be reassuring, because the community will be alarmed that that was in progress. But at least, perhaps they can take some something from the fact that they were apprehended and that other things have been apprehended, too.”

He stressed the government’s continued financial commitment to protect the community, saying British Jews “can also hopefully take something from the government’s financial commitment to the security of the community.

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“With over £200 million that’s been invested, not just in synagogue security, but other community facilities as well. Rising antisemitism is a major concern for the government that I lead.”

Speaking to ITV Granada Reports correspondent Lise McNally Burnham added: “I met Jewish leaders in Downing Street, very recently, including from Greater Manchester. We will continue to have the closest of dialogue on these issues, because I recognise the high levels of anxiety within the community.”

Then by BBC London’s Karl Mercer about the forthcoming Holborn and St Pancras by-election, and what it showed about the party under his leadership, Burnham pointed to a new hardening of the stance towards Israel.

He said: “It is an important by-election, make no mistake about it, and we’re not complacent in any way, shape or form, we’ve got to justify people’s support and I think some of the things I have done show that I am listening to people and their concerns, but also where Labour perhaps hasn’t.”

He then admitted: “I heard the voice of London communities and some of the concerns that people have, and that we show that we are prepared to make changes, certainly.

“I heard the voice from many Londoners about the situation in relation to Israel-Palestine and the need for the government to have a position that reflects public concern. “

He stated:”Working with Ed Miliband, we made a change, and we announced that a couple of weeks ago. We’ll never, in any way, shape or form, accept any form of antisemitism whatsoever.

“We condemn the attacks of the 7th of October in unequivocal terms but at the same time it is also right to say that that does not justify what we’ve seen in Gaza or indeed in the West Bank and where I need to do that as Prime Minister working with the Foreign Secretary, we will do that.

“But where we do, where we can, we’ll make those changes where we listen to people and we bring forward a position that I think reflects public concern of Londoners.”

On Monday it emerged that two men have been arrested over a suspected terrorist plot to target the Jewish community in Manchester, police have said.

The men, both in their 30s, were arrested on Sunday on the eve of Yom Kippur – considered to be the holiest day in the Jewish calendar – when thousands of British Jews were in synagogues already guarded with a heavy security and police presence.

The men were detained on suspicion of offences under Section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000, according to the Metropolitan Police, which is leading the investigation. Sources claimed the suspected plot was “fairly imminent” and in the later stages of planning.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the government would “continue to do all in our power to address threats against our Jewish community.”

Burnham has also ruled out plunging the country into an early general election, as he prepares for his first Labour conference as Prime Minister.

The next test of public opinion at the ballot box will not be until 2029, the Prime Minister also said in a round of interviews ahead of the Liverpool gathering.

Burnham said he wants to “draw a line” and focus on helping the public feel “a bit of hope in their lives”, rather than begin another divisive electoral cycle.

Elsewhere in the round of interviews,  Burnham told BBC South East that the number of migrants crossing the English Channel illegally had been made worse by Brexit.

“I do point to the loss of collaboration with neighbours that came with Brexit. That hasn’t helped,” he said.

He added that the Government would seek to stop crossings altogether, but said: “I’m not going to give you a date by which we can do that, or a promise that we will do it, as other governments have done in terms of a particular deadline.

“But what I will say to you is I will not stop, nor will the Home Secretary, until we bear down every element of this criminal, illegal activity and that we do so in a way that gets the numbers right now.”