It’s long past time for local politicians to stand up for British Jews

In the wake of the cowardly arson attacks on the Jewish community we have seen in recent days, the local elections represent an opportunity. We are calling on every party and every candidate to stand up for British values by condemning acts of hate directed at our community, and to oppose any expression of anti-Jewish hatred unequivocally. 

In our newly published Jewish Manifesto for Local Government, the six pledges we have defined sets out the standards we should expect every local candidate or elected official to meet, regardless of the party affiliation: fight antisemitism; safeguard education; promote community cohesion; avoid importing conflict; make public services inclusive; and celebrate Jewish culture.

Our call on parties and candidates not to import international conflict to our local communities is particularly resonant now. We see some parties and candidates deliberately exacerbating community tensions created by conflict in the Middle East for their political ends.

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And this at a time when it appears that the Iranian regime or its proxies are orchestrating violent attacks on the British Jewish community.

Any attempts to marginalise or intimidate us, or spread hate about us – whether a hateful post on social media, or a flaming bottle thrown at a Jewish building – is not only an assault on British Jews, but an assault on British values. This point has been rightly emphasised by many of our political leaders and other parts of our society, who have shown their solidarity with us.

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Where candidates and parties take positions harmful to our community, or fail to fulfil their responsibility to weed out candidates with antisemitic views, we will confront them.

At the same time we must recognise that the results of these local elections will likely reveal the full scale of the changes in our political landscape. Our multi-party democracy, like many others around the world, is becoming more fractious, fragmented, and polarised.

At the Board of Deputies we have no illusions about the situation. We expect that after the elections on 7 May will many of our communities will find themselves with unfamiliar local representation, and in some cases individuals in office with attitudes and agendas detrimental to our community’s values and interests.

In this context we remain focussed on our core mission of providing a clear and democratically representative voice for our diverse community. And we are adapting to changing circumstances. This includes through clear eyed engagement with parties across the spectrum. We will ensure that all the relevant political parties understand the perspectives of British Jews, and what counts when it comes to earning the confidence of the Jewish community.

It also means that while we step up our advocacy and partnerships to confront antisemitism at every level, we are also stepping up our efforts to ensure our community is not defined by this.

By creating Jewish Culture Month, which will run for the first time from 16 May to 16 June, (corresponding to the Hebrew month of Sivan), we are changing the game about the public face of British Jewish life. Not only are we showcasing the joy and light of Jewish life in the UK, but we are creating unprecedented opportunities for our non-Jewish neighbours and institutions to celebrate with us.

The incredible response we have had from British national institutions – including the British Museum, the V&A, Manchester’s Whitworth Art Gallery and so many more – show the appetite in our country to embrace and celebrate British Jewish creativity and heritage.

This is an indispensable pillar of our fight against anti-Jewish hatred. We are showing through our deeds that we are not afraid, and that it the haters who will be pushed to the margins of society where they belong. These local elections create an opportunity for local politicians to get on board with this agenda.

So we call on members of the Jewish community to engage with candidates in the run up to the elections with our Jewish manifesto for local government in hand, and make clear what we want to see from every candidate, including: a commitment to oppose unequivocally expressions of anti-Jewish hatred; a commitment not to import conflict into our communities; and a commitment to celebrate Jewish life including Jewish Culture Month.

Phil Rosenberg is President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews