UK
UK’s largest teaching union opens investigation into ‘institutional antisemitism’ and ‘contentious issues’
The probe will be led by an independent KC and assess claims the NEU has become a ‘hostile environment’ for Jews
January 15, 2026 13:04
The probe will be led by an independent KC and assess claims the NEU has become a ‘hostile environment’ for Jews
January 15, 2026 13:04The UK’s teaching union has brought in a top KC to investigate claims of “institutional antisemitism” within its ranks.
Karon Monaghan of Matrix Chambers is looking into allegations of a “hostile environment” for Jewish members within the National Education Union (NEU).
Monaghan was commissioned to lead the internal process more than a year ago by the union's general secretary, Daniel Kebede.
This week, the union stressed that the report was not solely about antisemitism, but part of a wider enquiry into “how debate of contentious issues is handled within the union, as well as the processes for member complaints”.
Jewish NEU members have previously complained about the union’s approach to the Gaza War and Israel.
The Daily Mail reported that, as part of her investigation, Monaghan interviewed a Jewish teacher who sent union leaders a letter of resignation in September, accusing them of “institutional antisemitism”.
The unnamed member accused Kebede of a “failure to protect Jewish members”, saying: “I will not remain part of an organisation whose leadership has created and sustained an environment that is hostile to Jewish members.”
It is understood Monaghan is expected to present her findings to union leaders in the near future.
Issues around Israel have dogged the NEU conference floor in recent years.
In 2024, the union passed a motion accusing Israel of “apartheid”.
The following year, it accused the Jewish state of “genocide” and said it would produce materials about the war in Gaza for members to use in teaching children.
It has also officially passed motions supporting the Palestine Solidarity Campaign.
In 2024, Jewish member Peter Block, 76, a retired teacher, was heckled off stage after telling delegates that the conference “has taken on the character of an anti-Zionist rally not quite of Nuremberg proportions but approaching it”.
Block said the motion condemning “Israeli apartheid” and blaming the Jewish state’s “racist government” for the violence in Gaza was a “glorification of Hamas”.
He drew shouts of “shame” from the crowd.
At the union's most recent conference, it supported calls to officially affiliate with Disarm Education, a group active in Bristol and campaigning against arms companies from delivering careers work.
In its April 2025 motion, the union voted to demand schools and colleges "publicly commit to end or prohibit careers collaborations and partnerships with arms companies”.
Kebede himself has attractive criticism for comments he has made at anti-Israel demonstrations.
The NEU chief told a rally in 2021, “It’s time to stand together and oppose apartheid, oppose the occupation and fight for Palestinian liberation. Let’s do it for Palestine, Ramallah, West Bank, Gaza – it’s about time we globalise the intifada.”
On the Today programme on Thursday morning, Kebede repeated claims that Israel had committed a genocide in Gaza.
After the communities secretary, Steve Reed, revealed last Sunday that a Jewish MP had been blocked from speaking at a school, the Bristol branch of the NEU drew criticism for a campaign against Egan’s school visit.
The branch also campaigned to block an Israeli tech firm from a school. Egan’s visit has since been rescheduled.
Kebede said the MP should be able to visit the school and told the BBC that the campaign against his visit had not been organised by the national union.
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