Lord Mann: In the CST ‘we have the best community security operation in the world’
In a new interview the government's independent antisemitism adviser says 'it would be disastrous for the Jewish community were anyone to try to undermine CST, in any way'
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
It’s now three and a half years since former prime minister Theresa May first appointed him as the government’s independent adviser on antisemitism.
So it says much about the impact Lord Mann has subsequently made in the post that the first person to politely interrupt his interview with Jewish News is one of the current PM’s closest aides.
Craig Williams MP, parliamentary private secretary to Rishi Sunak, warmly shakes Mann’s hand after spotting him at Portcullis House, Westminster, and both agree they have matters to discuss at a more convenient time.
“If there are any issues affecting your community, rest assured this man will let me know,” Williams then confirms to Jewish News.
As the influential Conservative politician walks off, Mann is similarly complimentary about Williams’ own ability to carry out his role as one of Sunak’s close advisers.
“All the senior politicians in the country are clear about the problems with antisemitism,” Mann later suggests.
“I say to every minister, ‘my job is to give you advice that I believe will help you do your job better’.
“I will also say ‘I don’t give advice that reflects my beliefs, or to keep you happy’.
“I will give any minister good advice that I think will help the Jewish community.
“I don’t take a value judgement on whether I like them …. some are easier to work with than others.”
Pre-2019, as the Labour MP for Bassetlaw, Mann had always been one of the most outspoken critics of Jeremy Corbyn, even from the time the Islington North MP first became leader of the party in 2015.
It wasn’t just Corbyn’s weakness over antisemitism that angered Mann, but it was speeches on this issue that solidified the 63-year-old Yorkshireman’s reputation for being one of the Jewish community’s staunchest defenders.
His confrontation with ex-Mayor of London Ken Livingstone back in 2016, in which Mann branded him a “Nazi apologist” will forever remain a seminal moment in the antisemitism crisis on the left.
Respect for Mann increased even further, when three months before Corbyn’s catastrophic 2019 election defeat, the MP announced he was not standing in the Nottinghamshire seat he had represented since 2001, and instead, took up a full-time role as the UK Government’s independent adviser on antisemitism.
“It’s not my role to run after every antisemitic incident in the country, although some think it is,” Mann, who was nominated to become a life peer in ex-PM May’s resignation list, says today.
“It is to try and get some permanent change for the better.”
With 18 months of his five-year long tenure as an equalities advisor still to run, Mann makes no secret of his admiration for the work of the Community Security Trust in protecting the Jewish community in this country.
Admitting he decided to “prioritise” the issue of security for the community through his own role, he reckons as an outfit CST “have got stronger not weaker during this period.”
He says his own message to the government has been that “we have the best community operation in the world.”
Mann then stresses:”We need to recognise that, and make sure it remains the best.”
He then chooses his words carefully, issuing a stern warning that the community must guard itself against ever becoming too complacent.
But Mann adds:”There’s a reason why terrorist attacks on Jewish people have not succeeded in murdering people here in the way they have across Europe.
“We have to be careful about complacency, but there’s a reason why that has happened. The key reason is that CST has the respect of the security services and of the police.
“That is the key reason. And it has direct access.
“The biggest fear I have is if anybody attempts to create barriers to that, of any kind.
“Intermediaries… that would be catastrophic. It has to be direct access and it has to be the CST as an institution, not the good will of individuals within CST. It is critical it has to have direct access.
“It would be disastrous for the Jewish community were anyone to try to undermine CST, in any way. ”
At various points in the interview, Mann will stress that his current job is “not to represent that Jewish community, my job is to advise.”
He also refuses to offer his own verdict on the relative strengths and weaknesses of our communal organisations, in the same way he says he refuses to let his own political views interfere with his dealings with ministers of the day.
“I have to keep in touch, I have to know where people are coming from,” he says of his interactions with communal bodies.
“I don’t have to agree with them.”
But Mann says it “crucial” that our communal organisations “have good access to government.”
He reveals he would not hesitate to “kick government if they are not getting access.”
He adds:”A CST that cannot have a relationship with the home secretary or prime minister of the day is not much use to anyone. ”
Asked if he is ever concerned about the government failing to meet with the right communal leaders, he says: “Whoever is in power should not be surrounding themselves with their friends from the Jewish community, they should be surrounding themselves with the communal bodies.
“And that goes for the Conservatives or the Labour Party, the SNP or any other party who happens to be in government.”
Mann confirms that he will be meeting with the current home secretary Suella Braverman “in the near future.”
He says it would “be a big concern if she did not want to meet me,” but that “she is happy to meet me.”
As a recently appointed home secretary Mann says he does not know whether Braverman will agree with his views around protecting the Jewish community or not.
“There are a number of things that the home secretary of the day might think are very obvious, but I will be raising them,” he says of the forthcoming meeting.
“The Jewish community has the right to be protected, the same as others. No more, or no less.”
On Braverman’s plan for a new Jewish Community Police, Crime and Security Taskforce, Mann says he hopes to learn more on the home secretary’s hopes for this body at their meeting.
Asked if he has ever had concerns about a particular minister since he was appointed antisemitism adviser, Mann says he has not.
Although he lets slip at one point that he remains disappointed that Dominic Rabb, when he was foreign secretary, failed to respond to repeat requests for meetings.
Along with former SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon, Raab remains the only minister not to have agreed to a meeting with the adviser on antisemitism.
“I would only go public with concerns about a minister if their actions were a concern to the Jewish community,” Mann says. “And I would be raising that first with Downing Street, and I haven’t had to do that.
“But I would if I thought that was the case.”
Mann is also keen to emphasise the successes and achievements of his work with the government, and no less than four prime ministers since he began the role.
“I believe I am the only equalities adviser to have survived those four prime ministers,” he says, with a smile on his face. “I am not aware of anyone else.”
On universities, he speaks of how he has poured resources and time into ensuring that discrimination of negativity towards Jewish students on campuses is both recognised and properly dealt with.
At the heart of this initiative, which has been fully backed by the government, has been the use of what Mann regards as the clear and effective IHRA definition of antisemitism.
More recently he has also embarked on a further campaign within schools, particularly around boosting the understanding teachers have of modern contemporary antisemitism, and how it may come to impact on Jewish pupils in the classroom, and playground.
He also highlights his successful efforts in sport, particularly around football, where “for the first time there has been training and understanding of antisemitism.”
Through his influence, the Kick It Out football anti-racism charity were joined by representatives from clubs and other footballing bodies on a moving educational visit to Auschwitz.
His passion for football – he follows Leeds United home and away – has no doubt helped convince football authorities here, and in countries like Germany, that Mann is a serious player, who understands the game in the same way he has grasped politics.
Mann’s achievements have not gone unnoticed abroad where he is increasingly asked by overseas governments for advice.
“I was at the White House recently briefing the presidential taskforce,” he says, “because we have had successes here.”
There is though, room for improvement in some areas of inter-communal relations, Mann opines.
He believes Jewish organisations should be striving for closer relations with the UK’s Black community.
Recent issues around the rappers Kayne West and Wiley highlighted the need for better dialogue between both communities, he believes.
Mann says at his forthcoming meeting with Braverman he will highlight the work CST has done around “outreach to other communities.”
He says: “One of the things I shall be talking to the home secretary about is how this should be encouraged. In my view, you can’t do enough of that kind of work.”
As for Mann’s own working future, it remains unclear whether he will continue in the role once his current term ends in October 2024.
He remains as enthused as ever with his post, and his critical role in tackling antisemitism in society.
A general election next year could, if the opinion polls are correct, also bring about a change of government.
Mann’s wife Jo White, deputy leader at Bassetlaw council,has been selected as the Labour candidate at the next election, where she will be seeking to take the seat from current Tory MP Brendan Clarke-Smith.
Asked why he himself managed to remain a member of the Labour Party despite his outspoken opposition to Corbyn, Mann is at his most direct.
“It’s my party, not theirs,” he says.
With that, we stand up, shake hands, and walk off in agreement.
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