Kemi Badenoch urged to take tougher action over ‘rich Jews’ Tory peer
Tory leader says apology from Lord Hamilton over offensive comments about the Jews and the Holocaust Memorial should be 'end of the matter'
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
Kemi Badenoch has claimed an apology from a Tory peer who said the Jewish community should pay for a Holocaust memorial because they have “an awful lot of money” should be “the end of the matter.”
Conservative peer Lord Hamilton had sparked anger after saying the Jewish community should “pay for their own” Holocaust memorial because they have “an awful lot of money”.
After his comments were slammed by political colleagues and communal figures, the former minister said his comments in a House of Lords debate on plans for a memorial near Parliament were “insensitive” but “not intended to be antisemitic”.
Responding to calls for him to be suspended from the parliamentary party, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said: “I have intervened in the situation. Lord Hamilton misspoke and he’s apologised and I think that should be the end of the matter.”
A Conservative Party spokesman had condemned the comments as “completely unacceptable” and “flagrantly antisemitic”.
Karen Pollock, Chief Executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust added that Hamilton’s comments were “antisemitic and unacceptable.
“The suggestion that British Jews should pay for a national Holocaust Memorial because the Jewish community have ‘an awful lot of money’ is a disgraceful use of an age-old antisemitic trope which has no place in society.
“The proposed Holocaust Memorial will stand as a stark reminder of where this anti-Jewish racism can lead and it is disturbing and shocking to see such rhetoric in the House of Lords in 2025.”
Chief Executive of the Antisemitism Police Trust, Danny Stone, has also raised the issue with senior members of the party. Stone said: “We will be working with parliamentarians to ensure this appalling rhetoric does not remain unchallenged.”
Speaking during a debate on legislation to allow a Holocaust memorial and learning centre to be built in Westminster, with public funds used to pay for it, Lord Hamilton said on Tuesday: “I do not understand why the government have volunteered taxpayers’ money, when there is so little of it, to finance this.
“The Jewish community in Britain has an awful lot of money. 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.”
Challenged by Lord Austin that the memorial was “for everybody” not just the Jewish community, Lord Hamilton added: “I take that point, but the driving forces behind putting up this memorial are the Jewish people in this country.
“They are people who have property everywhere. I do not see why they should not fund it.”
The former minister under Margaret Thatcher and John Major withdrew his comments the following day and said in a statement: “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.”
Labour MP for Bury North James Frith is among those urging Conservative co-chairs Nigel Huddleston and Lord Johnson, to withdraw the whip, stating: “Words are meaningless without action and the Party must suspend Lord Hamilton immediately.
“At a time of rising antisemitism, hate and division in society, we cannot have politicians engaging in clear-cut anti-Jewish language.”
A Jewish Labour Movement spokesperson added:”These comments are straight from the old school antisemitism playbook, rehearsing well-known tropes about Jews, wealth and power. Were a Labour parliamentarian to have said them, the Tories would rightly be demanding firm disciplinary measures be taken.
“Condemnation is meaningless if it isn’t backed by action. Kemi Badenoch should suspend the whip from Lord Hamilton.”
During the debate, Conservative peer Lord Finkelstein said: “The Holocaust is not something that is just about the Jews.”
He added that Lord Hamilton’s comments were “probably a pretty eloquent contribution as to why we need this memorial – and near Parliament”.
Crossbench peer Lord Austin described the remarks as “disgusting racism” and called on the Conservative Party to take “proper action”.
“The Tories were quick to demand Labour took action on antisemitism and quite right too,” he wrote on social media.
“But they must now do the same themselves.”
Hamilton served as Minister of State for the Armed Forces under John Major while Conservative MP for Epsom and Ewell.
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