Contribution
I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Hornsey and Friern Barnet (Catherine West) on securing this vital debate. The conversations I have with my Jewish constituents and friends about safety and security are heartbreaking. We must reflect on the fact that in this country, in 2026, Jewish people are talking to their MPs about emigrating for their own safety, about changing their names to avoid discrimination, and about escorting their children to school because they fear what might happen if they do not.
When Jewish people are attacked on our streets and so many people feel unsafe in the place they call home, it is a national emergency and deserves to be treated as such. The prejudice they face is old, but it is never far from the surface. I know from my time as a whistleblower on antisemitism in the Labour party to the Equality and Human Rights Commission that, when our politics tolerates it, hatred and ignorance can rear their ugly heads. That is why I am proud that this Labour party and this Government—under different leadership—have taken important steps through record funding for the safety of the Jewish community, the social cohesion plan, and banning groups such as the IRGC.
Those are actions, not words, but we all know that so much more needs to be done. When I recently met the leaders of the four synagogues in my constituency of Altrincham and Sale West, they made that very clear. That message has been reinforced in my meetings with the Jewish Leadership Council. This is not just about the immediate safety of Jewish residents; it is about creating a society in which we do not need security services guarding synagogues and schools. Crucial to that is education.
That brings me to the issue on which I will press the Government today: antisemitism on campus. The Union of Jewish Students, which I was proud to work with as a student and a student union officer, and which I am proud to have hosted here as a Member of Parliament, has reported a 413% increase in antisemitic incidents since the 7 October massacre. The situation remains completely unacceptable. From being held responsible for the actions of the Israeli Government to hearing fellow students defend Hamas, Jewish students are routinely made to feel unwelcome and scared at a time that should be one of the most enjoyable experiences of their lives.
I welcome the Government’s existing work with universities across the country on adopting best practice guidance put forward by the Union of Jewish Students, but we must urgently go further faster. I therefore urge the Minister to work with colleagues on current regulatory gaps, which mean there is a lack of clarity and accountability on the oversight of students’ unions. These gaps must be filled to ensure that we do not have a postcode lottery on the tolerance of antisemitism on our campuses.
I also join colleagues in asking the Minister to set out a clear timeline for the implementation of the Protecting What Matters strategy, which was a welcome step forward in tackling extremism at universities, but which must be backed up by results. Similarly, following the Macdonald review, there must be an approach that balances respecting academic freedoms and the ability to protest with the absolute right for Jewish students to feel safe on campus. That is a balance that has been lost at times in recent years, but it must now be restored.
When we debate antisemitism and Jewish safety, we are right to point out all that is wrong and the action needed to put it right, but I would like to end by talking briefly about something that should give us all hope: The Rabbi & The Imam project. Through the project, my constituents, Rabbi Dovid Lewis from Bowdon shul and Dr Nasser Kurdy from Altrincham and Hale Muslim Association, go into schools to talk about their faiths and to promote a simple message of humanity and understanding. Programmes like that see off intolerance before it is able to take root. They are essential to the safety of all faiths in this country and to long-term protections for religious freedom and expression. The Rabbi & The Imam project offers a reminder that, although antisemitism and the violence it fosters remain a national emergency, there are amazing projects and amazing people doing incredible work to tackle it. We must match that spirit and commitment to unity in this place if we are to make this country a safer place for Jewish citizens.