Simon Sebag Montefiore, one of Britain’s foremost popular historians, has said he has discussed leaving the country because of rising antisemitism.

The writer, whose works include Young Stalin and Jerusalem: the Biography, told The Times that “virtually every Jewish family I know has discussed leaving Britain because of Labour’s antisemitism.”

He added: “This isn’t a hysterical thing. Jewish people when they are together discuss it. The key lesson history teaches us is that as things darken, leave in time. Don’t just wait until it happens.”

Mr Sebag Montefiore is descended on his father’s side from a line of prominent Sephardi Jews from Morocco and Italy. His mother, Phyllis Jaffé, comes from a Lithuanian Jewish family.

He told the JC that he has no plans to leave the UK but maintained that “Jews always have to be aware” of potential persecution.

He said: “We aren’t discussing actually leaving now. Jewish people are discussing the idea with what Jeremy Corbyn might call ‘British irony’, and what Jewish people would say is fatalistic humour.

“I don’t mean that there are about to be death camps in England. This is more like an atmosphere — like the 1890s and turn of the century Austria or France.

“The most important thing is to not allow this language to become part of normal life in Britain.

I just think we have got to try to prevent this. As a moderately well-known writer ,my duty is to speak out about it.”