Latest news with #LordMann
Spectator
3 days ago
- Politics
- Spectator
Will the new anti-Semitism report change anything?
For any Jew – or anyone who is alive to Jew hate – a report from the commission on anti-Semitism to be published tomorrow will make for uneventful reading. That is no slur on the report or its authors. The Board of Deputies of British Jews asked Lord Mann, the Labour peer who is the government's anti-Semitism adviser (incongruously often described as the 'anti-Semitism Tsar') and Penny Mordaunt, the former Conservative cabinet minister, to look at the state of anti-Semitism in the UK today. John Mann and Penny Mordaunt have done Jews and those who care about Jew hate a great service Their findings have already made front page news, even before the report has been officially published. But there is not a word or a finding in it that will not be entirely familiar to any Jew. Britain's Jewish population of 287,000 see daily – indeed, on social media it is hourly – reports of anti-Semitism in the professions, on the streets, online and elsewhere, and then we wonder why so few people seem to care about the re-emergence into supposedly polite society of the world's oldest hatred. It always surprises me, for example, how few people are aware of the intense security around Jewish schools and communal buildings – and how pupils at Jewish schools undergo regular training in how to respond to a terror attack. But for all the familiarity of its findings, the report – which essentially concludes that anti-Semitism has been normalised in middle-class Britain – is nonetheless a vital piece of work. This is precisely because it brings home in unrelenting, unsparing detail the extent of anti-Semitism in Britain in 2025. Mann and Mordaunt find anti-Semitism to be pervasive in the NHS, on campus and in the arts and it highlights the appalling policing of the 'Free Palestine' hate marches. As they wrote yesterday: We heard about the noisy demonstrations and how intimidating people find the current environment, but as we dug deeper, what really scared us was the increasing normalisation of far more extreme, personalised and sometimes life-changing impact directed at individuals purely and simply because they are Jewish. They had, they said, been 'stunned into silence' by the evidence gathered during six months of research for the report. So what is going on? The story underlying the ever-widening and growing incidence of contemporary anti-Semitism in Britain is how it has changed. The late Lord Sacks described Jew hate as a mutating virus and Britain is now demonstrating this. Anti-Semitism was essentially dormant in the decades after the Holocaust, for obvious reasons. Where it did emerge, it was what one might call 'skinhead' anti-Semitism, and was from the far right. Such people still exist, but their role in today's anti-Semitism is so minuscule as to be almost entirely irrelevant. Today's anti-Semites are from the so-called Red-Green alliance: self-declared progressives and Islamists. Islamist Jew hate is so prevalent as to be one of its defining features. Spend ten minutes on social media and you will be shocked at the range and ubiquity of sermons in which the evil Jew is the target. (I recommend following @habibi_uk on X). Yet nothing is done. Literally, nothing. These imams are left free to spout their hate in sermons which regularly do not merely incite violence against Jews but urge it as part of being a good Muslim. When politicians come out with their usual blather of there being no place for anti-Semitism in Britain, they are speaking utter drivel. Anti-Semitism is not merely tolerated; many of the mosques which host these sermons are lauded as beacons of inclusivity. (It is of a piece with the police standing and watching as crowds on the hate marches shout chants calling for the murder of Jews, such as 'globalise the intifada'.) The other arm of this alliance is progressives. The incidence of anti-Semitism has increased sharply since the Hamas massacre of 7 October 2023 – in the year to 30 September 2024 official figures show a rise of 204 per cent to the highest level ever recorded. (Let that thought sink in – the response to the largest slaughter of Jews since the Holocaust has been a rise in Jew hate). But it did not arise out of the blue. Much of it can be traced back to the advent of Corbynism, which gave license to the left's Jew hate to escape from the shadows. But many Jews – I include myself – mistakenly thought that the return of the former Labour leader and his followers to the political fringes would mark a better period. We were ahistorical to think that. History shows that the quiet years after 1945 were the aberration, not the Corbyn years. We have now reverted to the norm, which is open Jew hate, with the difference that the main purveyors are progressives. In the professions, in the arts and on campus, as well as in other spheres, those who consider themselves to be part of the community of the good direct their ire at the familiar target of history – the all-purpose villain, whether it's the Jew as coloniser, the Jew as baby-killer, the Jew as media manipulator, the Jew as financial domineer, the Jew as…the list is endless. To cite Lord Sacks again: Anti-Semitism is not about Jews. It is about anti-Semites. It is about people who cannot accept responsibility for their own failures and have instead to blame someone else. Historically, if you were a Christian at the time of the Crusades, or a German after the First World War, and saw that the world hadn't turned out the way you believed it would, you blamed the Jews. That is what is happening today. John Mann and Penny Mordaunt have done Jews and those who care about Jew hate a great service. Their findings matter to everyone, because rampant anti-Semitism is a symptom of a diseased society, and its impact always moves beyond Jews. But count me a sceptic as to whether their report will make the least difference to anything.
Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Times
Antisemitism becoming ‘normalised' in NHS, report warns
Antisemitism in the NHS is an 'unaddressed issue', according to a report which warns it is an 'urgent' problem for the UK as a whole. The report, commissioned by the Board of Deputies of British Jews and co-authored by the government's antisemitism adviser Lord Mann and Dame Penny Mordaunt, the former Tory cabinet minister, found there was 'a failure to effectively respond by institutions across the United Kingdom'. The co-authors wrote in The Telegraph that they were 'stunned into silence' by the evidence to the commission, 'particularly from young people in the Jewish community'. Lord Mann VICTORIA JONES/PA They described the issue as an 'urgent' one 'for the United Kingdom as a whole', saying: 'What really scared us was the increasing normalisation of far more extreme, personalised and sometimes life-changing impact directed at individuals purely and simply because they are Jewish.' The co-authors said that British Jews were often 'held responsible for the actions of the Israeli government'. Mann added: 'It is unacceptable that the Jewish community has faced an onslaught of antisemitism since October 7.' The report raised concerns that police had struggled to effectively tackle anti-Jewish hate, found evidence that some faith primary schools 'inadvertently use antisemitic tropes', identified examples of professional bodies and trade unions passing motions about Israel that alienated Jewish members and claimed the existence of 'more hidden barriers' for Jewish artists. • Hugo Rifkind: It's fine to talk about Gaza, the question is how Mann and Mordaunt set out ten recommendations calling for people working in education and the arts, as well as the police and trade unions, to do more to tackle antisemitism. Among the recommendations of the report, which will be published on Tuesday and considered by the government, are that the NHS should hold a summit to tackle the issue. They also recommended an 'antisemitism training qualification' be introduced by employers and suggested Judaism be recognised as an ethnicity. Phil Rosenberg, the president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said: 'The challenge in civil society can be summarised as one of a failure to apply the protections rightly afforded to different vulnerable groups equally to Jewish people in the same positions.' An NHS spokesman said: 'It is completely unacceptable for anyone to experience racism, discrimination or prejudice in the health service, whether staff or patient, and the NHS takes any instance of antisemitism or discrimination extremely seriously. 'The NHS provides care and treatment for everyone regardless of race, faith, or background, and all NHS healthcare providers should have policies in place to address issues like this in the workplace.'
The Herald Scotland
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Antisemitism an ‘urgent issue' for all of British society, Penny Mordaunt warns
Writing in the Telegraph newspaper, the pair described themselves as 'hard-nosed politicians' who are 'used to dealing with the extremes of human emotions and catastrophe'. But they added: 'Even with decades of these experiences, we were still stunned into silence by the evidence that we received as independent chairs of the Board of Deputies Commission on Antisemitism, particularly from young people in the Jewish community.' 'This is an urgent issue not just for the Jewish community but for the United Kingdom as a whole,' the pair added. They also said: 'We are all harmed if we tolerate the abuse of some of our fellow citizens by those who hold warped or extreme views.' Their warnings of growing antisemitic prejudices across British society, from the NHS to arts organisations and the police, comes as the report they authored is set to be published on Tuesday. Among its recommendations are that the NHS should hold a summit to tackle the 'specific unaddressed issue of antisemitism' within the health service. Lord Mann and former defence secretary Dame Penny set out 10 recommendations calling for educators, public services and trade unions to do more to tackle antisemitism. Among them was a recommendation for every NHS trust to have 'basic training on contemporary antisemitism'. They stated: 'From evidence that we heard, we can identify that there is a specific unaddressed issue of antisemitism within the NHS. We recommend that a summit should be held with NHS leaders across the UK to begin to address this.' They noted an 'identifiable lack of consistency and capacity in antisemitism training' and recommended the creation of a specific antisemitism training qualification, adding that such training should be included within equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in organisations and institutions. Efforts to teach primary school teachers how to avoid passing on antisemitism and anti-Jewish tropes in their lessons should be rolled out in faith schools across the UK, the commission said. It added that professional organisations and trade unions should ensure that all Jewish members are treated equally and with respect, while there must be a consistent approach taken by police when dealing with antisemitic crimes. Dame Penny Mordaunt co-chaired the commission (Jacob King/PA) The commission said it had seen evidence of 'hidden barriers being put in front of Jewish involvement within the arts' and said there must always be a 'robust response for those who choose to discriminate and government at every level should ensure this'. Lord Mann said: 'It is unacceptable that the Jewish community has faced an onslaught of antisemitism since October 7th. 'Whilst this is not new, the commission heard shocking experiences that we will not ignore. Antisemitism is racism and it must be treated as such. We hope these recommendations will provide additional guidance and action for civil society.' Dame Penny said: 'No person should face abuse or discrimination whilst going about their business, whether it is pursuing the career of their choice or accessing public services. 'We wanted to suggest some very practical things that can be dealt with swiftly and will dramatically improve people's experiences.' Board of Deputies president Phil Rosenberg said: 'Overall, the challenge in civil society can be summarised as one of a failure to apply the protections rightly afforded to different vulnerable groups equally to Jewish people in the same positions. 'Many sectors promote strong Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) processes, which are very important, but too often, these protections seem to exclude Jews.' He said the board will insist that 'Jews must count' and will use the recommendations of the commission's report 'to ensure that they do'. An NHS spokesperson said: 'It is completely unacceptable for anyone to experience racism, discrimination or prejudice in the health service, whether staff or patient, and the NHS takes any instance of antisemitism or discrimination extremely seriously. 'The NHS provides care and treatment for everyone regardless of race, faith, or background and all NHS healthcare providers should have policies in place to address issues like this in the workplace.'
Western Telegraph
4 days ago
- Health
- Western Telegraph
Antisemitism an ‘urgent issue' for all of British society, Penny Mordaunt warns
The former Conservative minister joined Lord John Mann, the Government's antisemitism adviser, in chairing an independent commission on antisemitism on behalf of the Board of Deputies, Britain's largest Jewish community organisation. Writing in the Telegraph newspaper, the pair described themselves as 'hard-nosed politicians' who are 'used to dealing with the extremes of human emotions and catastrophe'. But they added: 'Even with decades of these experiences, we were still stunned into silence by the evidence that we received as independent chairs of the Board of Deputies Commission on Antisemitism, particularly from young people in the Jewish community.' 'This is an urgent issue not just for the Jewish community but for the United Kingdom as a whole,' the pair added. They also said: 'We are all harmed if we tolerate the abuse of some of our fellow citizens by those who hold warped or extreme views.' Their warnings of growing antisemitic prejudices across British society, from the NHS to arts organisations and the police, comes as the report they authored is set to be published on Tuesday. Among its recommendations are that the NHS should hold a summit to tackle the 'specific unaddressed issue of antisemitism' within the health service. From evidence that we heard, we can identify that there is a specific unaddressed issue of antisemitism within the NHS. We recommend that a summit should be held with NHS leaders across the UK to begin to address this BoD commission on antisemitism Lord Mann and former defence secretary Dame Penny set out 10 recommendations calling for educators, public services and trade unions to do more to tackle antisemitism. Among them was a recommendation for every NHS trust to have 'basic training on contemporary antisemitism'. They stated: 'From evidence that we heard, we can identify that there is a specific unaddressed issue of antisemitism within the NHS. We recommend that a summit should be held with NHS leaders across the UK to begin to address this.' They noted an 'identifiable lack of consistency and capacity in antisemitism training' and recommended the creation of a specific antisemitism training qualification, adding that such training should be included within equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in organisations and institutions. Efforts to teach primary school teachers how to avoid passing on antisemitism and anti-Jewish tropes in their lessons should be rolled out in faith schools across the UK, the commission said. It added that professional organisations and trade unions should ensure that all Jewish members are treated equally and with respect, while there must be a consistent approach taken by police when dealing with antisemitic crimes. Dame Penny Mordaunt co-chaired the commission (Jacob King/PA) The commission said it had seen evidence of 'hidden barriers being put in front of Jewish involvement within the arts' and said there must always be a 'robust response for those who choose to discriminate and government at every level should ensure this'. Lord Mann said: 'It is unacceptable that the Jewish community has faced an onslaught of antisemitism since October 7th. 'Whilst this is not new, the commission heard shocking experiences that we will not ignore. Antisemitism is racism and it must be treated as such. We hope these recommendations will provide additional guidance and action for civil society.' Dame Penny said: 'No person should face abuse or discrimination whilst going about their business, whether it is pursuing the career of their choice or accessing public services. 'We wanted to suggest some very practical things that can be dealt with swiftly and will dramatically improve people's experiences.' Board of Deputies president Phil Rosenberg said: 'Overall, the challenge in civil society can be summarised as one of a failure to apply the protections rightly afforded to different vulnerable groups equally to Jewish people in the same positions. 'Many sectors promote strong Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) processes, which are very important, but too often, these protections seem to exclude Jews.' He said the board will insist that 'Jews must count' and will use the recommendations of the commission's report 'to ensure that they do'. An NHS spokesperson said: 'It is completely unacceptable for anyone to experience racism, discrimination or prejudice in the health service, whether staff or patient, and the NHS takes any instance of antisemitism or discrimination extremely seriously. 'The NHS provides care and treatment for everyone regardless of race, faith, or background and all NHS healthcare providers should have policies in place to address issues like this in the workplace.'
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Anti-Semitism ‘normalised in middle-class Britain'
Anti-Semitism has been normalised in middle-class Britain, a Government-backed report has found. The review warned that Jewish people in the UK were suffering increasing prejudice 'in our professions, cultural life [and] public services' and felt they were 'tolerated rather than being respected'. The report, commissioned by the Board of Deputies of British Jews, the country's largest Jewish community organisation, found anti-Semitism to be pervasive in the NHS, at universities and in the arts. The inconsistent policing of hate crimes against Jews, including at pro-Palestine protests, was also highlighted. The review was co-authored by Lord Mann, the Government's anti-Semitism adviser, and Dame Penny Mordaunt, the former defence secretary. Writing in The Telegraph, they said they had been 'stunned into silence' by the evidence gathered during six months of research for the Commission on Anti-Semitism. They wrote: 'We heard about the noisy demonstrations and how intimidating people find the current environment, but as we dug deeper, what really scared us was the increasing normalisation of far more extreme, personalised and sometimes life-changing impact directed at individuals purely and simply because they are Jewish.' The pair added: 'We are two non-Jews from opposite sides of the political spectrum and we have both come to realise that if our Jewish community is facing discrimination, this is a failure of our society.' Among 10 recommendations made in their report, which will be published on Tuesday and considered by the Government, are recognising Judaism as an ethnicity, an overhaul of the policing of anti-Semitic crimes and the launch of an 'Anti-Semitism Training Qualification' for employers. After the Oct 7 attacks in 2023, anti-Semitic incidents hit record highs, according to the Community Security Trust, which monitors reports of anti-Jewish hate in Britain. The co-authors said that British Jews were often 'held responsible for the actions of the Israeli government', which are frequently the subject of pro-Palestine protests. The report also raised concerns that police forces had struggled to effectively tackle anti-Jewish hate, arguing 'improvements can be made to ensure that there is a consistent standard and understanding of anti-Semitism across all police forces throughout the country'. The war in Gaza following the Oct 7 attacks triggered mass protests that were branded 'hate marches' by Suella Braverman, the then home secretary, in October 2023. Police forces have repeatedly been accused of a 'two-tier' approach for allowing what critics have described as 'intimidating' pro-Palestine protests outside Jewish places of worship. Earlier this year, The Telegraph revealed that a Jewish counter-protester was arrested by the Metropolitan Police after he briefly held a sign satirising a Hezbollah terrorist leader at a pro-Palestine march. Turning to the health service, researchers found 'many Jewish employees within NHS organisations' felt that issues in their workplace were not being addressed and that it had been 'swept under the carpet'. 'From evidence that we heard, we can identify that there is a specific unaddressed issue of anti-Semitism within the NHS,' they wrote. Jewish doctors in the NHS have reported a surge in anti-Semitic abuse from colleagues since Oct 7, according to the General Medical Council (GMC), the independent body which regulates the UK medical register. Several NHS staff have been reported for anti-Semitic activities, from workplace abuse to social media posts celebrating Oct 7. In 2024, the NHS suspended a family GP who described the attacks as 'a welcome punch on the nose' but later reinstated him, citing insufficient evidence that he was unfit to practice. The education sector was also criticised in the report for allowing the spread of anti-Semitism on university campuses and in primary school classrooms. Writing in The Telegraph, the co-authors noted one campus where 'staff members who Jewish students trust with their health records [were] shouting for an intifada', an Arabic word which can be used to describe violent Palestinian uprisings against Israel. Anti-Semitism on campuses has surged since Oct 7, with the 2023-24 academic year seeing record reports of verbal abuse, threats and assaults against Jewish students and staff. At Leeds University, for example, a chaplain received death threats and rape threats against his wife after returning from his Israel Defense Force (IDF) reservist duties in Israel. In another instance, a Jewish student society was targeted by a bomb hoax threat. The report also found 'evidence that some faith primary schools inadvertently use anti-Semitic tropes when teaching subjects like Religious Education'. In other professions, the co-authors found examples of professional bodies and trade unions passing motions about Israel that alienated Jewish members. Last month, Jewish members of the British Medical Association, the doctors' union, told The Telegraph they felt unsafe because of motions related to the Middle East conflict, which they deemed anti-Semitic. Earlier this year, in April, a Jewish teacher was loudly heckled for challenging an anti-Israel motion at the National Education Union's annual conference in Bournemouth. Researchers also 'received evidence about where an individual believes that their professional body is actively discriminating against them, but where they require membership in order to be able to work'. In the arts, the report found 'substantial evidence of more hidden barriers being put in front of Jewish involvement' and examples of cultural institutions 'cancelling artists because of their heritage or ethnicity, or pressure from anti-Semitic organisations'. Lord Mann and Dame Penny said they were moved by 'a young Jewish female performer who told us that following October 7th, venues and promoters who the artist had worked with for years, no longer wanted to engage with her'. The report found there was 'almost nowhere' that British Jews can turn 'where anti-Semitism does not seem present in some form' as well as 'a failure to effectively respond by institutions across the United Kingdom'. The co-authors concluded that anti-Semitism was 'not understood as a form of racism' in Britain and recommended that Judaism be nationally recognised as an ethnicity, as well as a religion, so that anti-Jewish prejudice can be more effectively tackled. Other recommendations included the drafting of a national policy on dealing with anti-Semitism consistently, to be followed by all police forces. The report also asked the Government to come up with a plan within a year to make professional bodies and trade unions safe for Jewish members, and recommended an 'Anti-Semitism Training Qualification' to be introduced by employers. Angela Rayner, the Deputy Prime Minister, previously said she supported the commission and would consider the recommendations of its report. When it was announced in November, Ms Rayner said: 'We welcome the launch of the Board of Deputies' Commission on anti-Semitism and will look closely at its recommendations as part of our work to keep communities safe.' The Government has been criticised by Jewish groups within the Labour Party for 'performative' anti-Israel policies such as suspending trade talks and embargoing arms sales. Labour Against Anti-Semitism, a campaign group, said the policies 'added to a climate of intolerance and hate' toward British Jews. Sir Keir Starmer is under pressure from Labour's Left and allies such as France to go further and recognise a Palestinian state. Israel has said any such recognition would be a 'reward' to Hamas. While the Prime Minister is theoretically in favour of recognising a Palestinian state as part of a Middle East peace process, he is understood to be 'reticent' about signing up to the French plans. However, the mooted emergence of a new Left-wing, pro-Palestinian party under Jeremy Corbyn, the former Labour leader, could also increase pressure on Sir Keir to act. In recent weeks, the Government was forced to intervene in a row over anti-Semitism after chants at Glastonbury music festival calling for the death of Israeli soldiers were broadcast live by the BBC. Bob Vylan, a rap duo, led calls for 'death to the IDF' while performing at the festival. The Prime Minister described the chants as 'appalling hate speech' and said the BBC had questions to answer over why they were broadcast live. The broadcaster's head of music stepped back from day-to-day duties over the row after Lisa Nandy, the Culture Secretary, demanded more 'accountability' from the corporation's leadership. Lord Mann previously told The Telegraph that 'heads should roll' at the BBC after it aired a documentary featuring the nephew of a Hamas official as a narrator. An NHS spokesman said: 'It is completely unacceptable for anyone to experience racism, discrimination or prejudice in the health service, whether staff or patient, and the NHS takes any instance of anti-Semitism or discrimination extremely seriously. 'The NHS provides care and treatment for everyone regardless of race, faith, or background, and all NHS healthcare providers should have policies in place to address issues like this in the workplace.'
