As I write this column, we have just commemorated Remembrance weekend. This is a moment of great significance in our society where we remember the previous generations who have fought and laid down their lives for us and the world we now live in. They have helped form the values we now hold dear. I have always believed in a tolerant society, one that is respectful and understanding of others. 

However, like many readers I have been appalled by the conduct we have seen by the actions on 11th November. I do not believe the marches have shown a tolerant society and I have been clear about my grave concerns regarding them. Whether we see blatantly antisemitic placards or hear cries of ‘from the river to the sea’ and ‘jihad, jihad’, I know this intimidates the Jewish community across our country. When this is combined with the alarming scenes we have seen in our train stations, on the tube or more locally with the Israeli flag at Borehamwood & Elstree Town Council being defaced or school children being verbally abused, we should be asked ourselves, Jewish or not, whether this is acceptable to our society as a whole.

I am confident the police are investigating each and every one of these incidents and that the perpetrators will face the full force of the law. There is also now a strong case for looking at the legislation around protests and the new Home Secretary is doing this.

The people on these marches need to ask themselves what kind of company they are keeping. When we saw the murder of George Floyd in the United States with the Black Lives Matter movement, society rightly showed moral indignation. We should now be seeing the same moral indignation in society. Jewish Lives Matter. Antisemitism is racism, full stop. The same abhorrence that we show to other forms of racism, we should show towards antisemitism. As your local MP and as Deputy Prime Minister, I will continue to make this argument.