Starmer hints at more measures to tackle antisemitism ‘in the coming days’ at PMQs

The prime minister has hinted that the government may introduce further measures to tackle antisemitism “in the coming days”.

Sir Keir Starmer was responding to senior Conservative MP Bob Blackman, who demanded the government take robust action, including properly educating children about the founding of the state of Israel, during PMQs.

Blackman, the chair of the influential 1922 committee of backbench Conservative MPs, told the House that, while he welcomed Starmer’s commitment to combat antisemitism, more needed to be done.

Senior Conservative MP and chair of the 1922 committee Bob Blackman (Image: Parliament TV).[Missing Credit]

“The regular hate marches we've seen on our streets, with the chanting of ‘globalise the intifada’, has led directly to attacks on Jewish businesses, on synagogues, on individuals in the streets, and now an arson attack on where Jewish people live”, the MP for Harrow East said, adding that the Jewish community wanted “to see action, not warm words”.

“Will the prime minister therefore commit to the type of action that we need?” Blackman asked, saying this included measures “to expel students who commit antisemitic acts who are from overseas… proscribe the IRGC [Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps]… and take action to close down the 13 Iran-sponsored charities in this country that spread antisemitism”.

He also made specific demands in education that “all children are taught the horrors of the Holocaust, the importance of not expressing hatred towards one another, and the true history of the founding of the State of Israel”.

“The Jewish people of this country want to feel safe on our streets and in their homes and in our country”, the senior Tory added.

The prime minister responded that he and Blackman were “are united in our belief that we must fight the poison of antisemitism wherever it is found”.

“We are investing more to keep Jewish communities safe, more police patrols, greater security of schools and synagogues, investing several million pounds to tackle antisemitism within our universities, and bringing in proscription-like powers to clamp down on malign state activity”, he went on.

Starmer also hinted at future measures that the government may be about to introduce, telling Blackman: “We will set out further steps in coming days, and I'll make sure he's fully informed of the steps that we're taking.”

In April, the prime minister told the JC exclusively that the government intended to bring in legislation to allow the IRGC to be banned.

The Tackling State Threats Bill, as it is formally known, was introduced to Parliament as part of the legislative agenda in the King’s Speech last month.

Speaking to the JC after PMQs, Blackman expressed disappointment at the prime minister’s reply to him.

“I informed the PM in advance of my question, so the answer was disappointing under the circumstances. Warm words are not enough and urgent action is required to root out antisemitism from our public services. We have to combat those who seek to spread this poison in our community”, he said.

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Prime Minister's Questions

Starmer hints at more measures to tackle antisemitism ‘in the coming days’ at PMQs

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