Sir Keir Starmer has vowed to root out the "poison" of antisemitism in the UK during a Hanukkah reception at No 10, declaring that Jewish people must not be "cowed by terror". The Prime Minister's pledge came in the wake of the Bondi Beach massacre in Australia, which has shaken the community "once again, not for the first time".
Starmer emphasized that fighting antisemitism requires collective action. «Antisemitism is not just a problem for Jews, it's a problem for us all,» the Prime Minister said at the event. He stressed his determination «to defeat this poison of antisemitism together».
The reception brought together members of the Jewish community alongside Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis. Starmer addressed the gathering directly: «We do come together to celebrate Hanukkah but we also come to stand together in solidarity because I know the whole community has been shaken once again, not for the first time, by the abhorrent attack on Bondi Beach.»
Call for Cultural Change
The Prime Minister called for a fundamental shift in how antisemitism is addressed. «We need to stand together in defence of the Jewish way of life, of the liberties and freedoms that make our British way of life,» Starmer declared. He framed the issue as one affecting not only Jewish people but British society as a whole.
His statement underscored the need for cultural change in tackling antisemitism. «We must not be cowed by terror,» the Prime Minister said, urging unity in protecting fundamental freedoms.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
