Gove equates BDS campaign with ‘evil of antisemitism’

Communities Secretary Michael Gove has told the MPs that one way of “tackling the evil of antisemitism” is to “stand against the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign.”

Speaking in the House of Commons on Monday, Gove was responding to a question from Labour MP Christian Wakeford, who asked him to commit to the continuation of funding for the Community Security Trust next year.

Wakeford raised the rise in reported cases of antisemitism in the latest CST report and asked Gove to commit to the continuation of funding for the protection of Jewish schools and synagogues including “increased costs associated with inflation.”

The cabinet minister responded saying: “As the minister who, as Secretary of State for Education, initiated that scheme, I will do everything I can to make sure it continues.”

Then the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities added: “One of the things we can all do in this House in order to tackle the evil of antisemitism is to stand against the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign.

“And that is why we are bringing forward legislation in order to outlaw BDS at a local government level.

“I hope we can count on the Honorary Gentlemen’s formidable voice to press on his frontbench the importance of supporting such legislation and not abstaining as they did in the past.”