STARMER PLEDGES ACTION ON ANTISEMITISM – UK prime minister hosts meeting following attacks and calls for stronger response
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer convened leaders from across society on Tuesday (May 5) to tackle antisemitism in the wake of the stabbing of two Jewish men and a string of other assaults.
The attacks have left communities fearing for their safety and piled pressure on the governing Labour Party, particularly ahead of local elections on May 7th. The leader of the opposition Conservative Party has called antisemitism a “national emergency”.
The government has since raised the national terrorism threat level to “severe” and announced an additional 25 million pounds ($33.80 million) in funding to bolster protection of the country’s estimated 290,000-strong Jewish community.
Starmer, told leaders gathered on Tuesday, that while security for the Jewish community was essential, it was not enough and added, “We must also deal with the forces that drive this hatred in the first place,” he said.
