Prime Minister Keir Starmer will call for a whole-of-society response to rising antisemitism on Tuesday, emphasizing that condemnation alone is insufficient and that people must demonstrate their stance through actions.
Speaking ahead of a roundtable event at Downing Street, Starmer will urge action against all forms of antisemitism following a series of attacks, including a knife attack against the Jewish community in Golders Green last week, serious arson incidents, and a terror event in Heaton Park in October.
Sarah Sackman, the Labour MP for Finchley and Golders Green, highlighted a "lack of vocal solidarity" from parts of the liberal left and some anti-racist organizations in addressing the rise in antisemitism across the UK.
No 10 will host representatives from various sectors, including business, charities, health, culture, higher education, and policing, for talks with the Jewish community. Starmer is expected to stress that all must refuse to platform hatred or ignore extremism.
"Last week's terrorist attack in Golders Green was utterly appalling. But it was not an isolated incident. It is part of a pattern of rising antisemitism that has left our Jewish communities feeling frightened, angry, and asking whether this country, their home, is safe for them," Starmer will say.
"These disgusting attacks are being made against British Jews. But, make no mistake, this crisis – it is a crisis for all of us. It is a test of our values. Values that are not guaranteed, but are earned. Every single day, through our actions."
"So, it is not enough to simply say we stand with Jewish communities. We must show it. And that responsibility lies with each and every one of us."
Starmer will also convene ministers for the latest Middle East response committee, focusing on domestic security implications of the conflict, particularly the heightened threat to Jewish communities.
The government has announced an additional £25 million in funding to increase police patrols, enhance security at synagogues, schools, and community centres, and deploy specialist and plainclothes officers in communities.
The Golders Green stabbings have intensified calls for action, occurring within weeks of other antisemitic incidents in the same area. Police are investigating whether these incidents involved criminal proxies acting for Iran.
Sackman, who also serves as courts and legal services minister, noted an outpouring of support since the knife attack in her constituency, with messages from Christian and Muslim faith leaders. The incident had "clearly resonated" with people.
"For a minority community to come under this sort of sustained level of threat and attack purely for our identity, you would expect in the normal run of things for anti-racist organisations, for trade unions, for cultural leaders to speak out," she told the Times.
"I think what has been notable is, for some time now, a lack of vocal solidarity from the moderate majority. You would expect our anti-racist movement, who quite rightly come out vocally, regularly for other minoritised communities to have responded in kind."
Last week, Sackman wrote for the Guardian, stating that Jewish people want to go about their daily lives – working, taking children to school, and practising their faith – free from fear. She admitted that she now grips her daughters' hands more tightly, and many British Jews feel exhausted and afraid.
"Where are the marches in solidarity and support of our Jewish community? Where is the response of the liberal left? Where are the anti-racists, the trade unions, civil society, our friends and neighbours?" she wrote.
"Where are the leaders of the powerful tech platforms who have allowed hate to proliferate via their algorithms? Where are the university chancellors, the leaders of our cultural sector and the NHS managers who must urgently root out hate in their institutions?"
