Starmer: Sadiq Khan is wrong, ‘from the river to the sea’ is an antisemitic chant

Challenged that his answer appeared to put him at odds with the Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan, who stated the opposite earlier this month, Starmer responded: “I take a strong view on this, and we've dealt with cases in my own party where people have used that expression and we've taken action against them.”

He added: “I'm not just saying it to you here today. That is the history, that is the record that I have as leader of my party.”

The prime minister resisted calls to ban pro-Palestine protests, saying: “I don't think we can say to anybody that they no longer have the right to freedom of expression and freedom to protest”.

However, he said he was “saddened” that pro-Palestine protests took place on the same day as the Heaton Park shul terror attack and on the anniversary of October 7.

“On a human level, I had hoped that on the evening of the terrible events in Manchester, there wouldn't be marches and protests just as an act of human respect and respect for others. And the same for the Saturday. So I saddened to see those marches going ahead, because I thought that even if people wanted to express their view, perhaps they might take the view that that wasn't the time or the place to do so."

Starmer added that it was important to distinguish between protesters who “have legitimate concerns that they want to express and those that are clearly antisemitic, and we need to deal with the latter much more robustly, in my view”.

Starmer also said that his tenure in charge of Labour shows that he isn’t afraid of taking robust action against antisemitism.

"I knew that we wouldn't be able to put ourselves before the electorate until we dealt with that in our party. I think we need to take the same approach with the country, with the same determination in relation to antisemitism”, he said.

The prime minister, whose wife is Jewish, said his own family had had discussions on the threats posed to them as a result of their heritage and that he understood the collective impact of Hamas’ October 7 attacks, both in Israel and in the diaspora.

"Obviously, we've got extended family in Israel, and therefore when we catch up, we also hear, first hand, the psychological impact that has happened since October 7, and this sense, over and above the actual horror of what actually happened on October 7 –  which was the horror of horrors –  is this visceral insecurity that went through individuals, their families and their communities.

“And it's really important to understand that fear, the emotional impact this has had, as well as the sort of horror of the actual attack, and also particularly because of Manchester. But it's not just about Manchester and the terrible event there. It is this deeper sense of insecurity here in the United Kingdom that we absolutely have to understand, because we've got to tackle it.”

Starmer also defended his record in rebutting the delegitimisation of Israel against claims that it has committed genocide in Gaza.

"I’ve been challenged on this I don't know how many times, and been absolutely clear about it, so I don't think I could be clearer in that respect. But I do have concerns about what's going on in Gaza, which I've expressed clearly and robustly. But every time I've been challenged, I've been clear in my own view.”

Starmer and Mahmood spoke to CST volunteers and Jewish communal leaders on Thursday morning and paid tribute to their heroism during the Heaton Park shul terror attack.

“It could have been even worse, and it was those volunteers that made sure that it wasn't, because they immediately deployed their skills, their training, their professionalism and their courage,” Starmer told the crowd.

He went on to say that additional funding was in and of itself insufficient and that the government was committed to robust actions to tackle antisemitism.

“In the days after the attack, I promised to do everything in my power to give Jewish communities the security they deserve, and this work has already begun. We are giving record levels of funding to scale up security at synagogues and faith schools, and we are giving the powers they need to tackle protests that cause repeat disruption to communities and intimidate worshippers, but more must be done.”

The prime minister advertised that he and the home secretary were introducing new measures to take account of the “cumulative impact” on the Jewish community of repeat protests.

He went on to take issue with some of the chants heard during pro-Palestine demonstrations, which he said had “to be dealt with in a different way”.

Starmer also announced that Lord Mann, the government’s independent adviser on antisemitism, would be carrying out a review on antisemitism in the NHS saying that it was necessary because there had been “clear examples, of antisemitism that have not been dealt with adequately or effectively”.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood spoke of the need to deal with the specific threat posed to the Jewish community by Islamist extremism.

“I was very clear in the House on Monday that this attack place in Manchester was inspired by Islamist ideology. I'm not scared of calling out Islamism,” she said, adding that the government wanted to go “beyond calling out, and we have to think of solutions as well”.

She also praised the work of CST in Heaton Park who “ran towards danger. They saved lives. These are amazing individuals, and we owe you a huge debt."

However, Mahmood said it was “an indictment of all of us in our country that, in fact, Jewish life can only be maintained in this country, behind walls, behind thick glass, behind blocks, and that children have to learn what a lockdown looks like.”

The home secretary added that as well as tackling extremism, she and the government were focused on “thinking of actual solutions so we can stitch back together again the fabric of our nation so that your children in the future, like every other child in Britain, can go to school without learning what a lockdown is. That is the future that we want to see, and that is the work that I would like to do with all of you as we move forward”.

One Jewish communal source, who spoke to the JC anonymously, heaped praise on Shabana Mahmood’s seeming grasp of the extremist threat faced by the Jewish community.

They added that she seemed “uniquely placed to understand and challenge Islamist extremism”.

Welcoming the funding from the government, CST Chief Executive Mark Gardner said it was “a vital emergency boost for security measures at a crucial time for the Jewish community.

“This fund will strengthen the security infrastructure protecting our synagogues, schools, and community buildings, at a time when Jews remain, proportionally, the most likely victims of hate crime in the UK.

“We are grateful for this announcement and will continue to work closely with the government and community partners: but the root causes of antisemitism and extremism must be acknowledged and tackled if long term change is to occur.

“Today’s announcement also builds on action already taken to help clamp down on hate crime and antisemitism including empowering the police to put conditions on repeat protests and ordering a review of all protest legislation to make sure the police have the powers they need to tackle intimidation, incitement and keep communities safe.”

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said: “The sickening attack in Manchester was an assault on the safety, dignity and peace of mind that every Jewish person deserves.

“We are providing record funding to help protect synagogues and Jewish schools – but this isn’t just about cameras and alarms, it’s about restoring that peace of mind, and sending the message: Britain stands with its Jewish community, always.”