Speaking to journalist Hagar Shezaf, Green leader Zack Polanski suggested that there was only a “perception of unsafety” for Jewish people as opposed to any actual increase in danger for Jewish communities:
“I am concerned about the rising anti-semitic attacks. Um, we saw arson attacks on ambulances for instance, and we know that increasingly Jewish communities are feeling unsafe. Now, there’s a conversation to be had about whether it’s a perception of unsafety or whether it’s actual unsafety, but neither are acceptable. As a politician, as a leader of a political party, it’s really important that we do everything we can to make sure people are both physically safe and have a perception of safety. and it’s unacceptable for anyone in this country to be feeling unsafe if they’re just going about their daily business.”
Polanski went on to accuse Labour of “weaponising” antisemitism against his party:
“I see as an increasingly weaponised, cynical political attack from the Labour Party. Now, that doesn’t mean that I don’t take anti-semitism seriously. In fact, the opposite. I do take anti-semitism seriously and part of taking it seriously is recognising it needs to be dealt with compassion and care and nuance and we need to be level-headed about these conversations. For the Labour Party to wait until the day the election started to start accusing candidates of being anti-Semitic shows me the opposite of that. That’s a deeply unserious commitment to actually dealing with a serious issue and instead the weaponisation of of a political attack which I think is is really really unhelpful and unhealthy.”
The Community Security Trust is recording an increase in antisemitic incidents across the country. Incidents involving the Hatzola ambulances, Finchley Reform Synagogue, and Kenton United Synagogue all occurred within the last month…
Red Wall Labour backbencher Jonathan Brash told GB News that Starmer should resign:
“I’m completely fed up about it, and I think it’s got to the point now where I genuinely think that, as far as the Prime Minister is concerned, it’s not a case of if, it’s when.”