Keir Starmer has vowed to fight for a “more united nation” in the wake of an antisemitic terror attack in north London last week. The Prime Minister warned that Britain faces a choice between sinking into “the politics of grievance and division” or rising together to confront global instability. He urged Britons to support him in a “national effort” to match the scale of the “threats and turbulence” facing the country.
Attack and Response
The UK's national threat level was raised from substantial to severe following the attack in Golders Green, where two Jewish men were stabbed on Wednesday. Essa Suleiman, 45, has been charged with attempted murder after Shloime Rand, 34, and Moshe Shine, 76, were attacked. Writing for the Observer on Sunday, Mr Starmer said: “The whole country has been shaken by the horrendous attack in Golders Green. We are seeing a resurgence of terror, fuelled by Islamist extremism. We are seeing thugs paid by foreign powers to commit criminal damage. All in a climate where antisemitism and bare-faced hatred have bubbled over into the mainstream.”
National Effort
Mr Starmer continued: “And beyond our shores, we see a fractured world – a perfect storm of crises sweeping towards us. War on two fronts. Global economic strife, already impacting our daily lives. A world that is more dangerous than at any point in my lifetime. We have a choice. We could sink into the politics of grievance and division. Or we could rise to this moment – together – in a national effort that matches the scale of the threats and turbulence we face. I am talking about a national mission to become a stronger, more resilient, and more united nation, allowing us to take control of our future, raise our sights, and reach towards something better.”
Government Measures
The Government last week unveiled £25 million for security to boost police patrols and protections around synagogues, schools, and community centres. Legislation will also be fast-tracked in the coming weeks to clamp down on individuals and groups carrying out hostile activity for foreign states, including those who act as their proxies. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood will be given new proscription-like powers to ban the activities of state-backed organisations that pose a threat to the UK’s national security. This will provide police and intelligence agencies with stronger tools under the National Security Act to disrupt the activities of anyone acting on behalf of state-backed organisations.
Minister's Statement
Security Minister Dan Jarvis told the Mirror that the country has “recoiled in horror” at the Golders Green attack as he vowed to fight the “pervasive evil” of antisemitism. He said: “Antisemitism is a deep-seated and pervasive evil that has afflicted our society for too long. The time has come for a true national effort, driven forward by action, and involving every member of our society. Together, we must show solidarity with our Jewish community, stand with them, and call out hatred wherever we see it. Because this land is their land, and the safety of British Jews is the yardstick by which we must now measure ourselves as a nation.”
