Downing Street to host crisis meeting with university leaders over campus antisemitism
Education secretary Gillian Keegan will call for 'robust action' by university chiefs, with UJS leader also due to speak at the meeting at No 10
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
Rishi Sunak has told a meeting of his cabinet that there had been an “unacceptable rise” in antisemitism on UK campuses, ahead of a meeting with university vice-chancellors at Downing Street.
A spokesperson said the prime minister believes that the increase in anti-Jewish racism has created a “hostile atmosphere” for Jewish students, and that the current pro-Palestinian protests taking place at UK universities have “a potential to lead to that too”.
They added: “It important, the prime minister would argue, that a vocal and aggressive minority must not be allowed to intimidate other students or academics.”
Education secretary Gillian Keegan will address university leaders at Thursday’s meeting, which is being held at No 10, having previously set out the government’s expectation that universities “crackdown on antisemitic abuse.”
Keegan told Jewish News:”Antisemitic abuse and intimidation must not be tolerated on university campuses, and we will not stand by as Jewish students suffer. Freedom of speech and expression is vital to our universities, but it must not be used to harass and intimidate or cause significant disruption to students’ learning.”
The education secretary, Michael Gove and the communities secretary Tom Tugendhat the security minister, are also expected to attend.
It is understood up to 20 university vice-chancellors are expected at the meeting. Dave Rich of the Community Security Trust will also be present.
The government wishes to see university authorities taking “robust action” over this type of behaviour to ensure students feel safe on campus. It will also listen to university leaders responses to the rise in antisemitism.
Downing Street also confirmed that the Union of Jewish Students leader Edward Isaacs would attend the talks and give examples of the intimidation they are facing on campuses, particularly after the 7 October Hamas attacks.
Edward Isaacs, president of the Union of Jewish Students, who will attend the meeting, said: “We welcome the prime minister-led vice-chancellor roundtable on campus antisemitism this week and we look forward to presenting.
“Vice-chancellors must have moral clarity in their leadership to ensure that campuses are welcoming and inclusive spaces to Jewish students. Any commitments made must be followed by swift and decisive action.”
The government is also preparing to release new guidance on tackling antisemitism at universities and colleges.
The spokesperson did not rule out the prospect of the police becoming involved if necessary to crackdown on extremist conduct at “highly disruptive’ protests on campuses.
The PM’s aide said he had told his top team that “obviously our university campuses should be places of rigorous debate” but they should also be tolerant places where students from all communities, and “particularly Jewish students at this time should be treated with respect.”
Asked about the view of the current pro-Palestinian demos at universities in this country, Sunak’s spokesperson said the government would “support the right to free speech” but that the “right to free speech does not mean the right to harass people or incite violence.”
“We expect university leaders to take robust action over that kind of behaviour, and that will be the subject of conversations at No. 10 later this week. We wish to ensure a zero tolerance approach is adopted on this type of behaviour on all campuses.”
Sunak’s spokesperson said the fact that both the PM and foreign secretary Lord Cameron had demanded Israel’s military action in Gaza was proportionate showed that cracking down on antisemitism did not mean stifling criticism of the Jewish state.
This was different, said the aide, to people acting in a violent and discriminatory towards Jewish students based on their race and faith.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
