PM recalls horror of Manchester synagogue attack as he makes plea for national unity

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has recalled his visit to Heaton Park Synagogue in Manchester following the devastating Yom Kippur terror attack, as he urged faith leaders at a Downing Street reception to fight back against those sowing division and hatred in the UK.

Addressing around 120 people at the Interfaith Reception—including representatives from the Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Sikh, and Hindu communities—Starmer reflected on the timing of the attack, which came just 48 hours after he delivered a speech at the Labour Party conference promoting national unity.

He described meeting the families of victims and witnessing the grief and shock that lingered less than a day after the incident.

“I was struck by the sheer horror of what had happened,” Starmer said. “But I was equally moved by the bravery of those who rushed to help—including members of the local mosque, who were among the first to offer assistance, and those in the cinema hall who risked their own safety to protect others. Their actions saved lives and reminded us of the true spirit of our country.”

Reflecting on these moments, he added, “So even in the depths of that despair, I could see what I truly believe is the country that we are.”

He continued, “I was really struck by the fact that many at the synagogue put their own lives at risk, one very much so—pushing the door shut and holding it shut to make sure that other people were safe. Undoubtedly saving the lives of very, very many people. And thinking not of themselves, but of what they could do for others.”

The PM added:”I’m very proud to be Prime Minister, but I want to serve the whole of this country, the country as it is, in all its reasonableness, its practicalness, its tolerance, its live and let live, and its diversity.”

Rabbi Elchonon Feldman, Chair of the Rabbinic Council of the United Synagogue and Senior Rabbi of Bushey United Synagogue, represented the Chief Rabbi at a meeting of senior faith leaders in Downing Street earlier.

After the meeting, Rabbi Feldman said: “I was honoured to represent the United Synagogue in a roundtable discussion with the Prime Minister and Faith Minister at 10 Downing Street today.

“I stressed our community’s deep concern that the Heaton Park terror attack – and other attacks on Jews – did not take place in a vacuum but came from a culmination of Jewish hate over the last two years. As well as giving the Jewish community the security protection it sadly needs, the way to respond must be a strategy for societal cohesion led by the government but working closely with aligned faith leaders.”

Progressive Judaism co-lead Rabbi Charley Baginsky also spoke at the roundtable meeting stressing that interfaith work “has not failed.”

“What has failed is the belief that social cohesion will happen on its own, without investment, without structure, and without real understanding,” she added.

“We have treated the work as optional, something that can be conjured through goodwill or revived only in emergencies. That is not realistic.

“Social cohesion is skilled work. It requires training, time, resource, and a commitment from government and civic leaders to build and sustain the spaces where hard conversations can happen. The answer is not interfaith 2.0.”

Baginsky also spoke of the need for “faith literacy.”

“The public conversation often reduces faith communities to conflict or crisis. In the case of the Jewish community, our tradition is too often taught only through antisemitism or the Israel and Palestine conflict,” she told the meeting.

“That is harmful and untrue. Judaism is a lived tradition of joy, learning, obligation, and community.

“Yet we do not have enough trained RE teachers and we do not invest enough in helping children understand one another’s traditions with dignity. Without this, social cohesion is weakened before it begins.”

Speaking later, the Prime Minister also highlighted the resilience of other faith communities, referencing the recent arson attack at Peacehaven Mosque.

“This was a brazen attack to burn down a mosque. It wasn’t as bad as it could have been, but it was really bad. It could have been absolutely terrible,” he said.

Yet within hours, Starmer noted, “People from Peace Haven and nearby came forward to the mosque to say, ‘We’re with you, we support you, this isn’t us, this isn’t the country that we are.’”

Starmer warned that the UK stands at a “fork in the road,” saying, “There’s an argument not just about this policy or that policy, but who we are as a country. What is our identity?”

He referenced troubling scenes in central London, where a recent march led by Tommy Robinson drew over 200,000 people, some intent on promoting division. “

“Across the country, they could feel the division, the hatred that was on show there… we need to recognise the depth of it,” Starmer said of the demo.

“It means we’ve got to fight. Interfaith work is more important now than it has ever been. This is a really defining moment in our history. And we have to make sure that we go down the right path and not the wrong path. Because that toxic condition will tear us apart as a country. It will tear apart everything that you and I believe in.”

Concluding with a call to action, Starmer emphasised the need for partnership between government and communities. “We will play our part, but we recognise that we can’t do it on our own. We have to create a partnership. Each of you brings so much to this. We want to join you in this. We want to reinforce it. We think it’s more important now than it’s ever been. So you’re very welcome here.”

Among those to attend Wednesday’s event were Lord Katz, Mitzvah Day founder Laura Marks, and Steve Reed, the Communities Secretary.