Labour is committed to ensuring "the rift between the Labour Party and the UK’s Jewish community is mended", Shadow Communities Secretary Steve Reed has said.

In an online meeting with the Board of Deputies and the Community Security Trust, he said he wanted to meet "very early in my tenure to assure them that I will do everything I can to ensure that the Jewish community feels safe and secure".

He said after the meeting: "I repeated Keir Starmer’s apology to the Jewish community for Labour’s failure to tackle antisemitism and my determination to see swift action against those responsible for it in our party.

"I gave my assurance that I will do whatever I can to combat those who seek to promote or excuse antisemitism anywhere in our society and will be writing to all Labour’s local government leaders to ask those who have not yet done so to adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism in full and with all its examples including reminding them not to support actions that seek to delegitimise the State of Israel.

“I am totally committed to playing my part to ensure the rift between the Labour Party and the UK’s Jewish community is mended.”

Other topics discussed were "promoting community cohesion" and "the importance of interfaith and inter-communal initiatives", Mr Reed added, noting the Board's efforts to "promote greater understanding between different groups in our wider society", and the CST's efforts "to help keep people safe – experience they are now offering more widely to other communities, who sadly have need of it".

Board Vice-President Amanda Bowman said: “His commitment to encouraging Labour's local government leaders to adopt the IHRA definition and examples as well as stressing the importance of dialogue rather than boycott from local councils is an important first step in rebuilding Labour's relationship with the Jewish community.

"We also discussed our interfaith and intercommunal initiatives and the various challenges they face, as well as the importance of keeping our community safe while helping all in our society to feel secure.

"Steve's recognition that words alone are not enough and that there is a long way to go in order to restore Labour's relationship with the Jewish community is encouraging and we look forward to working with Steve to put his positive words into action.”