Cameron defends Holocaust memorial location as ‘unapologetic national statement’
As legislation gets its second Lords reading Baroness Deech tables an amendment expressing regret at the location, cost and design, and she and others speak of security concerns
Lord Cameron has defended the proposed location of a Holocaust memorial in central London as an “unapologetic national statement” as a bill designed to pave the way to construction was given its second reading in the upper house.
Speaking in the Lords on Wednesday in his first contribution since stepping down as foreign secretary before the general election, he said there was “real power” in having the building “at the heart of our democracy”.
The Holocaust Memorial Bill is aimed at creating a commemorative installation and a learning centre in Victoria Tower Gardens. The location next to parliament was recommended to the government due to its “historical, emotional and political significance”, he said.
The London County Council (Improvements) Act 1900 requires the Grade II-listed land to be used as a public park. The Holocaust Memorial Bill will authorise expenditure on the construction, maintenance and operation of the memorial and learning centre, and disapply sections of the 1900 Act, removing the legal obstacle that has prevented the project, which is yet to receive planning permission, from going ahead.
An amendment to the Bill was tabled by cross-bench peer Baroness Deech that raised concerns on the lack of consultation on the location, cost, and security concerns relating to the project.
Introducing her amendment she said that overriding existing protections to the park to allow the memorial to be built is a “an authoritarian and anti-democratic move” that acted contrary to the Labour government’s green policies.
Baroness Deech, whose father was born in Poland and fled the Nazi regime, also described the design as a “bunch of sticks in the air” that have “no relevance to the Holocaust, the gardens or the UK”.
She further raised concerns on the costs, which she said are estimated at £138m plus £50m contingency, as well as security concerns, that the memorial would be a “prime target from land and from the river”.
Baroness Deech said peers were debating a project that would “change the environment of the Palace of Westminster forever, and for the worse”. She reminded peers that the choice of location had been criticised by bodies including Unesco and Historic England. The project had also been categorised as red (undeliverable ) by the government’s Infrastructure and Projects Authority.
Turning to the memorial’s design, she said the choice had been a “lazy” one, taken without proper research. ”It bears no relevance to the Holocaust, the gardens or the UK. It will block the view of the Palace [of Westminster]. It has already been christened the giant toast rack or, viewed from the air, a set of false teeth.”
Lord Carlile, the son of a Holocaust survivor, spoke to criticise the location of the memorial, which he said would fail to honour those who died. “The location is far too small, far too mechanical, and creates a security issue not only for the centre itself but for this parliament,” he said.
He also spoke about the “number and nature of security guards” who would be needed. The figures suggested that between two and three thousand people would visit the site every day. “Some of those two or three thousand could be terrorists. And terrorists are often not stupid people. They know how to cause terror.” He said detailed searches would be required to keep people safe and entry would only be to visitors who had pre-booked.
Lord Carlile wanted to see something that was not just symbolic but was somewhere where visitors would really learn.
The Lord Bishop of Southwark spoke of his deep misgivings about the project, saying: “The concerns of Baroness Deech need to be heeded.”
Baroness Deech’s regret motion was defeated 99 votes to 49.
Lord Cameron told peers that he knew many supported the “concept but not the location” of the memorial.
He said: “I’m afraid I think that it’s not just a good idea in spite of the location, it’s a good idea in part because of the location. We have a problem with antisemitism in this country. It’s growing. And what better way to deal with this than to have a bold, unapologetic national statement.”
“This isn’t a Jewish statement or a community statement, it’s a national statement about how much we care about this and how we’re prepared to put that beyond doubt.”
As prime minister in 2013, Lord Cameron launched the Holocaust Commission to ensure Britain has a permanent memorial to the Holocaust and educational resources for future generations.
He said criticism of the plan was making him “feel like the father of a rather unloved child”.
Referring to the Holocaust commission, he said: “It was multi-faith. It had teams of experts. It had one of the biggest ever gatherings of Holocaust survivors, and of course it was thoroughly cross party, in fact anything that can bring together Ed Balls and Michael Gove is worthy of note.
“It was a genuine attempt to look at this. And it was clear, it didn’t say the existing memorials were sufficient. It didn’t say that the current state of Holocaust education was good enough. It didn’t say we could put this thing somewhere else in London.
“It said there’s a real power in bringing together the monument and the education and having it at the heart of our democracy. And I want to, ashamedly put my cards on the table and say I think this is the right idea in the right place, and indeed, at the right time.”
The former prime minister said the memorial should be a reminder of a “dreadful event in the past that we should try and learn from at the same time”.
He said: “The Holocaust was not just one of the defining moments of the 20th century where six million people lost their lives. It wasn’t just an event. It should be a permanent reminder of where prejudice and hatred leads us and what it can end in.
“So this is not just some monument to something that’s happened, it’s a permanent reminder and… I think it’s so important it’s co-located with our parliament.”
The Holocaust Memorial Bill, which was passed by the Commons before the general election, received a second reading in the Lords and now goes to a select committee for further scrutiny.
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