Prinsley tells MPs it has ‘never been more essential’ to open antisemitism study centre in home city
Jewish Labour MP Peter Prinsley opens this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day debate in the House of Commons
Jewish Labour MP Peter Prinsley has said, “never has it been more essential” to open a centre for the study of antisemitism at a university in his home city, as opened this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day debate in the House of Commons.
In a moving address, Prinsley spoke of his family’s roots in East Anglia and Norwich, stating: “It was in Norwich, in 1140, that the Jews were falsely accused of murdering a boy called William to use his blood for sacrifice—something that Jews never do.
“This is the infamous blood libel, which sparked antisemitic hatred all over England and echoes throughout the ages, even to this day.”
At one stage, Prinsley recalled how over twenty years ago, a shopping centre was under construction, and a medieval well full of skeletons was revealed—17 skeletons from three families, including children.
A BBC Hidden History documentary revealed that they were almost certainly Jewish skeletons.
“The bones were handed to the local community,” Prinsley said, “and here I must name my dear departed friend, Mr Clive Roffe, who insisted that the bones be given a dignified Jewish burial.”
“I held the bones in my hand, and there was a large hole in the side of a skull,” said Prinsley, a highly experienced NHS doctor.
“Even after all these years, it was obviously not a natural hole,” he added.
DNA studies by the Natural History Museum in London “showed that there were genetic matches to contemporary British Jews,” added the MP, who previously worked as a consultant ENT surgeon at the Norfolk & Norwich Hospital, James Paget University Hospital and in private practice.
“Here we have scientific evidence of an English pogrom in 1190,” he observed. “Antisemitism is not new.”
In his now trademark calm manner, he added: “I am a Jewish MP for Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket, and the very first Jewish MP for the town that was the first to expel its Jews in 1190 following the slaughter of 53 Jewish citizens—commemorated with a steel teardrop in the abbey gardens—so history has come full circle.
“There is no greater honour in my life and no greater duty than to ensure that we will always remember them.”
Detailing how the county archive in Norwich contains hundreds of medieval property leases and documents, many of which are written in Hebrew, Prinsley noted they have “curiously wavy and crenellated margins, for they were written in duplicates to enable matching copies and ensure that there were no forgeries.”
The leases have allowed a detailed map of the ancient city centre to be drawn, showing the location and the ownership of the houses, and the location of the synagogue, the school and the physician. “For there were Jewish doctors in Norwich 1,000 years before I was appointed,” he added.
He told MPs how in King Street there is a great merchant’s house, which still stands—the house of Isaac Jurnet. “It is the oldest house of Jewish habitation in England,” Prinsley said, “and the vaulted crypt is unaltered since the time of Jurnet, who was the financier of the cathedral and much else besides.”
“The house is presently in need of restoration, and there is a plan to create a centre for the study of antisemitism with the department of Jewish studies at the university,” he added.
“Never has this been more essential.”
Prinsley then continued by warning about the impact of attacks on “law-abiding Jewish citizens of this country” as a result of actions by Israel.
“Antisemitism, which never disappeared from this country, exploded after the events of 7 October 2023, even before the actions of the Israel Defence Forces,” he added.
“There has been a terrible war in Gaza, but the origins of the political problems are ancient and complex, and it is not the responsibility of the law-abiding Jewish citizens of this country, who have been intimidated and vilified.
“I welcome the measures that our Government have announced to address this.”
The MP has also represented the community at the Board of Deputies as has Judith, his sister-in-law, who is also a Deputy in London, whilst his own sister Emma has also been elected onto the communal body.
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