Jews have an ‘awful lot of money’ to pay for own Holocaust Memorial, says Tory peer
In comments condemned by his party Lord Hamilton of Epsom adds: 'They are people who have property everywhere'
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
A Conservative peer has sparked anger after suggesting that the Jewish community has “an awful lot of money” which should fund the proposed UK Holocaust Memorial in Westminster.
Lord Hamilton of Epsom added that “the driving forces behind putting up this memorial are the Jewish people in this country.”
He continued: “They are people who have property everywhere.”
A spokesperson for the Tories later said the party “utterly condemned” the peer’s remarks.
Lord Hamilton of Epsom told a debate: “I do not understand why the government have volunteered taxpayers’ money, when there is so little of it, to finance this. It has a lot of education charities that would contribute towards this.
“I do not understand why they should not pay for their own memorial. ”
In further incendiary comments Hamilton added “the driving forces behind putting up this memorial are the Jewish people in this country.”
He continued: “They are people who have property everywhere. I do not see why they should not fund it.
“I just do not understand why the British taxpayer should be asked to pay for this when there is quite clearly a tremendous shortage of taxpayers’ money to go around. The whole thing is very strapped. I would have thought that this could be financed by individuals, Jewish charities and so forth that would be happy to contribute to it. I am just amazed.”
He added:”I have plenty of Jewish blood, and I am a member of the Conservative Friends of Israel.”
Lord Finkelstein condemned the remarks made by his Conservative colleague adding:”I apologise for intervening, but I really cannot leave that comment on its own.
“The noble Lord cannot stand up here and say, “The Jews want the Holocaust memorial, and they ought to pay for it”. The Holocaust is not something that is just about the Jews.
Non-affiliated peer Lord Austin intervened adding:”My Lords, this is not a memorial for the Jewish community.”
Tuesday’s debate was held to discuss expenditure relating to a Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre.
Asked about Hamilton’s remarks, a Conservative spokesman said: “These comments are completely unacceptable, flagrantly antisemitic, and we condemn them utterly.”
Danny Stone, chief of the Antisemitism Policy Trust, called the comments “ill-judged, racist and false”.
Hamilton, who was a Tory MP from 1978 to 2001, issued a statement on Wednesday in which he said: “My remarks were not intended to be antisemitic and I apologise unreservedly. With retrospect having read my comments, I realise that my remarks were insensitive and I apologise. I intend to meet with groups from the Jewish community in order to better understand how to communicate about issues affecting British Jews.”
Lord Austin said after the debate that the remarks constituted “disgusting racism”, adding: “The Conservative Party must take proper action to deal with this. The Tories were quick to demand Labour took action on antisemitism and quite right too. But they must now do the same themselves.”
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