PM holds urgent meeting with communal leaders to discuss ‘abhorrent rise of antisemitism’
Keir Starmer met representatives from the Board, JLC, UJS and CST at Downing Street
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
Communal leaders have held an urgent meeting with Keir Starmer in Downing Street to discuss “the abhorrent rise of antisemitism” and how the government can work with them to address the growing challenge.
Attending the talks with the Prime Minister on Friday morning were representatives from the Board of Deputies, Jewish Leadership Council, Union of Jewish Students and the Community Security Trust.
A call was made for Government support to promote cohesion and tackle extremism – whether from the far-right, the far-left or Islamist sources.
It also discussed the community’s sentiment in respect of Israel’s war of self-defence against Iran and its terror proxies.
They raised concerns about the recent ICC decision, restated the cross-communal call for the proscription of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of the Iranian regime, and underscored the plight of the hostages, including British hostages.
Dominating the meeting – slotted into the PM’s schedule just one week after communal leaders requested it – was concern that the threat level to the community had got worse in recent weeks, after 14 months of serious problems.
It was pointed out problems have grown as a result of the increasingly extreme actions of activists from groups like Palestinr Action outside buildings used by Jewish organisations, schools and on demonstrations.
The pressures facing the community in workplaces and elsewhere in society was also emphasised to the PM.
Downing Street confirmed the meeting with Jewish community leaders which it said had discussed the “abhorrent rise in antisemitism and how the government can continue to work with the community to address this challenge.”
Board of Deputies President Phil Rosenberg and Chief Executive Michael Wegier, Jewish Leadership Council Chair Keith Black and CEO Claudia Mendoza, CST Chairman Sir Gerald Ronson and Chief Executive Mark Gardner, and UJS President Sami Berkoff and Chair of Trustees Daniel Dangoor took part in the meeting.
Starmer was told this situation represented a threat not just to one single community, but also represented a threat to “national security.”
The Union of Jewish Students representatives also expressed concern to the PM that in relation to antisemitic incidents on campus, it was no longer possible to submit some complaints anonymously, leading to some students fearing repercussions if they did so.
Communal leaders said Starmer was both “engaged and concerned” as he heard concerns raised about the actions of groups like Palestine Action. Discussion focused on strengthened legislation around public safety and on the prosecution of hate crimes.
The PM welcomed the announcement of the Board’s Commission on antisemtism, led by Lord Mann and Penny Mordaunt, and again stressed his own support for inter-faith work in testing circumstances.
Discussion also turned to the on-going crisis and conflict in the Middle East. Starmer raised his own meetings with the family of British-Israeli hostage Emily Demari and spoke at one point of the “torture” she and her famiky continued to go through as a result of their capture by Hamas terrorists.
The UK government’s response to the ICC’s call for arrest warrants for Israel’s Benjamin Nentanyahu and Yoav Gallant was also raised at one point, with communal leaders pointing to French moves towards offering the Israeli leader immunity from arrest.
Nearing the end of the meeting, the communal leaders also raised concern amongst the charitable sector over the rise in employee national insurance as outlined in the budget. This concern was noted by the PM.
Jewish News understands that communal leaders have further meetings planned with other government departments, including talks on antisemtism in the NHS, with the health secretary.
Following the meeting, Jewish leaders said: “We requested this meeting last week in the context of serious anxiety from the Jewish community about rising antisemitism. We are grateful to the Prime Minister for agreeing to meet us so quickly.
“We raised the community’s deep concern, about the seemingly relentless antisemitism we have seen at protests, at Jewish community buildings, on campus, online, in workplaces, the NHS, the cultural sphere, and even against Jewish pupils on their way to school.
“Outside the Jewish community, businesses with real or imagined links to Israel, and indeed our politicians, have faced harassment and criminal damage. Some have even been chased from their homes, places of work or places of worship.
“We conveyed our shared view that this continued crossing of red lines is not just a threat to Jewish security. It is a threat to national security.
“We found the Prime Minister to be informed, concerned and engaged. He and we have committed to engage across Government departments to ensure the action we need to reclaim our streets, campuses, and community buildings from racist thugs, and ensure a secure and thriving future for the UK Jewish community”.
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