Government urged not to ‘ram through’ national Holocaust memorial in park
The plea came as a law change is due to be debated by MPs, enabling the development to go ahead in Westminster. Baroness Deech criticised the lack of consultation.
A planned national Holocaust memorial centre next to Parliament should not be “rammed through”, the Government has been told as a rethink was urged by ministers.
The plea came as a law change is due to be debated by MPs, enabling the development to go ahead in Westminster.
The draft legislation was introduced after campaigners won a legal battle to quash planning permission for the Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre in Victoria Tower Gardens, located immediately adjacent to Parliament.
The plan ran into difficulties over a 1900 law protecting the small triangular Grade II-listed park.
The Holocaust Memorial Bill, which has its second reading in the Commons on Wednesday June 28, will update the historical legislation, removing the legal obstacle that has prevented the Victoria Tower Gardens project.
But pressed to reconsider the decision on the siting of the centre, communities minister Baroness Scott of Bybrook said: “The Government remain determined to build a Holocaust memorial in Victoria Tower Gardens so that the memory and lessons of the Holocaust remain prominent in British life.
“The Holocaust Memorial Bill currently before Parliament is intended to remove a statutory obstacle and enable progress towards construction.
“Victoria Tower Gardens is a site that is uniquely capable of meeting the Government’s aspirations for a national Holocaust memorial.”
Responding, Liberal Democrat Lord Lee of Trafford said: “It is very sad that a memorial to such an appalling crime against humanity should controversially be rammed through against the views of the Royal Parks, Westminster City Council, local residents and so many others.”
He added: “I implore the Government to think again and preserve and protect our very precious green space.”
Lady Scott said: “The memorial is a manifesto commitment which has cross-party support and has been endorsed by all living prime ministers.”
Independent crossbencher Baroness Deech criticised the lack of consultation on the memorial.
She said: “All efforts to open dialogue and to have discussions and round tables have been met with silence, and sometimes abuse.”
Lady Deech added: “Victoria Tower Gardens is a green enclave, and the dangers of digging down two storeys with pile drivers, which could cause unimaginable damage, have not been taken on board when there are decent alternative sites with as much dignity and more space. I speak for a number of Holocaust survivors in this.”
But Tory former Cabinet minister Lord Pickles, who is co-chair of the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation, said: “The time for talking is over, it is time for action.”
Former Labour MP Lord Austin of Dudley, who quit the party under Jeremy Corbyn over antisemitism, said: “There is no more appropriate location for a memorial that shows what can go wrong when politics is infected by extremism, racism and hatred than here in Westminster, at the centre of our politics. That is the whole point.
“We have heard all sorts of red herrings about this memorial.”
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