Starmer invites Jewish and Muslim leaders to Downing St interfaith event
Exclusive: In letter to Board president the PM writes: 'This must be part of the national conversation as we build a stronger, more resilient society and tackle the challenges we face together'
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
Keir Starmer has invited Jewish and Muslim leaders to Downing Street as part of his commitment to overcoming divisions and bolstering cohesion in UK society.
While next week’s interfaith breakfast event will be an opportunity for leaders of all faiths to meet, it will also provide a high-profile opportunity for senior Jewish and Muslim representatives to engage with one another as concerns grow about the gulf between the two communities in the aftermath of the October 7.
The Prime Minister has previously spoken of his concern that mutual understanding between some communities in the UK is not as deep as he had thought and that existing structures are not strong enough to withstand current pressures placed on them.
The interfaith event takes place days after one senior government adviser warned Jewish News of their concern over the growing gulf between Jewish and Muslim organisations in this country as a result of differing responses to the Gaza conflict.
The adviser said they feared some leaders had “forgotten the many things that previously brought the two communities together through similar experience in this country” and instead were focussing instead on sustaining increasingly hardline positions on conflict in the Middle East.
Meanwhile,in a letter sent to Board of Deputies president Phil Rosenberg this week, Starmer references what he says has been an “incredibly challenging” time for the country, including for Jewish and Muslim communities and stresses his commitment to “building a Britain where all communities feel safe.”
He adds:”This must be part of the national conversation as we build a stronger, more resilient society and tackle the challenges we face together.”
In the midst of rising antisemitism, the PM praises the work of the Community Security Trust, along with the Board, and of the “valuable work” carried out by Lord Mann in tackling antisemitism.
“I am pleased he will continue in this role,” adds Starmer.
Praising the Board, the PM says he values its “efforts to promote meaningful dialogue on shared concerns and your focus on delivering social action benefit for all.”
In response to the October 7th attacks, Starmer writes to Rosenberg:”I would like to reassure you again that we will not give up until the hostages return home.”
In a speech delivered at JW3 in January, the PM said:”There are things that can be done in terms of security, policing, and hate crime, because the figures, particularly with hate crime, are going through the roof.”
“But the real hard job, I think, is in segmenting, rebuilding and making much deeper interfaith work. We’ve got much more to do than I think any of us appreciated.
“But it will only happen when we have the politics of common cause.”
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