Keir Starmer has been criticised by British Jewish groups for failing to address a 'national emergency' following the Golders Green terror attack. Jewish organisations have urged the Labour leader to introduce emergency legislation to crack down on anti-Semitism, while the Conservatives accuse the Prime Minister of 'dithering'.
Chief Rabbi Backs Ban on Hate Marches
The Chief Rabbi, Sir Ephraim Mirvis, has supported calls for a moratorium on hate marches that have taken place across Britain since Hamas's attacks on Israel in 2023. Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he said: 'We are witnessing the normalisation of anti-Semitism and it most definitely has not been taken seriously enough.' He added that Jonathan Hall, the independent adviser to the Government, has recommended a moratorium on demonstrations, calling it 'wise advice' that should be implemented 'ASAP'.
Labour on Collision Course
The issue sets Labour on a collision course with critics ahead of planned protest marches in London on May 16, the same day as the FA Cup final, which will require hundreds of Metropolitan Police officers at Wembley. The Palestine Solidarity Campaign is organising the Nakba 78 march, protesting against what it calls Israel's 'apartheid and genocide'.
Russell Langer of the Jewish Leadership Council urged Labour to declare 'the rules of the game have changed', as Tony Blair did after the July 7, 2005 bombings. He said: 'Ministers need to see this as the national emergency it is. The pace of change has been too slow since October.' He called for emergency legislation under the Civil Contingencies Act to ban marches and tackle anti-Jewish hate. A sweeping ban would require a new Act of Parliament unless emergency legislation is introduced.
A spokesman for the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism said: 'This is a national emergency and the Government needs to start acting like it. We have been calling for an end to the hate marches for years. They are Ground Zero for the surge in anti-Semitism and have disfigured our country.' He added: 'It is tragic that Jewish people need to be murdered in Manchester and stabbed in London for the Government to start getting the message.'
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp urged the Government to 'get off the fence', stating: 'Starmer has dithered for too long. The tidal wave of anti-Semitism is a national crisis and urgent action is needed to protect our Jewish community.' He argued that long-term bans on marches would likely require a change in the law and that the Government should proceed with it.
Instead of advocating sweeping bans, the Prime Minister said this week that law-breakers should be prosecuted. Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley expressed concern about the scale of upcoming protests and said his force was 'looking hard at what conditions and powers we should use'.
