Home Secretary concedes anti-Semitism is 'out of control' in the UK as Labour told empty words are no longer enough
The government has announced an additional £7m to fund anti-Semitism teaching in schools, on top of an extra £25m but critics say throwing money at the problem isn't enough.
Shabana Mahmood has admitted that antisemitism in the UK is 'out of control' in the wake of Wednesday's terror attack that saw two people injured by a knifeman in Golders Green.
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Speaking with Nick Ferrari at Breakfast, the Home Secretary conceded that Ministers are "trying to get control” the “deep" and "real problem” of antisemitism in the UK.
It comes as the government unveiled an additional £7million to fund antisemitism teaching in schools, on top of the existing £25million funding pledge already set out by the government.
It brings total funding to £65million this year, which ministers say is the largest investment ever made to protect Jewish communities.
The announcement comes after two Jewish men – 34-year-old Shilome Rand and 76-year-old Moshe Ben Baila – were stabbed in north London on Wednesday, in what Counter Terror Policing London has formally declared as a terror attack.
The additional funding comes in response to an “increased risk” facing Jewish communities - and not because previous levels of funding proved insufficient, Ms Mahmood insisted.
“I acknowledge that we have a real problem with antisemitism in this country. It's something I've been talking about ever since I became the Home Secretary," she explained.
Read more: Government announces extra £25m to protect Jewish communities after Golders Green terror attack
The Government's £25m pledge will go towards increased police patrols and protective security across north London.
"We have a really deep problem with antisemitism in our country, and we've seen the number of attacks... we are trying to get control of this situation."
LBC also understands that additional funding was requested by the Met prior to the government's latest £7million pledge.
“Look, I'm acknowledging the scale of the problem. I would never seek to do down the scale of the problem. It is a big problem for all of us as a society," she told LBC.
"Of course, there are things that we as a government can do, but I think there is a question here for us to ask about who we are as a country.
"The government can legislate, can change policy, can make more money available. But all of us as a society as a society have to think about the sort of country we are and what we are doing to show solidarity to our fellow Jewish citizens who at the moment cannot go about their business in safety and security."
On Wednesday, a 45-year-old man, said by police to be a Somali-born British national, was arrested following the incident on Wednesday.
It comes amid mounting concern over Iran’s use of criminal proxies, after the Metropolitan Police referenced the issue following arson attacks in north-west London earlier this month.
She was also asked whether she agreed with Jonathan Hall, an independent reviewer of terror legislation, on his suggestions that Pro-Palestine protests should be the halted in the wake of the attacks.
"I think a national emergency would mean that we suspend elements of our democracy. I don't think we are there yet," she insisted.
"I think we need to strike a better balance between the freedom to protest but also the freedom of people to be able to go about business.
"If the marches continue, they do so with greater police powers that have just hit the statute books to enable the police to place greater conditions on repeat protests, to ban face coverings, and also to make sure that those conditions are appropriate so that people can continue to visit synagogues and go about their business.”
Asked for specific details of the kinds of projects the pledged £7m figure would be used to fund, Mahmood appeared hesitant, insisting "those are decisions that are being taken forward by the department of education"
She also defended what Nick called a "slowness to react" to a growing fear among jews of further antisemitic attacks.
The Home Secretary insisted the delay was required, adding it is "important to get the response right".
Ms Mahmood went on to defend the need for an additional funding boost, insisting: "We had already made additional money available, and we were talking about what more we can do.
"There is a need for security," she continued, citing an "increase in risk and the increase in the attacks".
"I do understand people don't want to live their lives behind ever higher walls as well, and that is why the wider work that is happening across government to tackle antisemitism at root and to take this out from our society. That is also an incredibly important part of this.”
The Government has also announced it will fast-track legislation to give authorities stronger powers to pursue individuals and groups acting on behalf of state-sponsored organisations.
It means anyone operating as a proxy for a state-backed group could be investigated and prosecuted under the National Security Act.