I know first-hand why Jewish tourists are increasingly afraid to visit the UK

The increasing reluctance of Jewish tourists to visit the UK is not driven by paranoia, exaggeration or alarmism. A sustained rise in anti-Semitic incidents and consequent acute sense of vulnerability within the Jewish community has created an environment that many now regard as unsafe. I speak from experience.

I am originally from Gibraltar and therefore British. My family are Jews who were expelled from Spain in the 15th Century and were only able to return to the Iberian Peninsula when Gibraltar became British in 1713. Interestingly, in the Treaty of Utrecht, which transferred Gibraltar from Spain to Britain, there was a clause that Britain may hold Gibraltar, but neither "Jews or Moors shall be permitted to reside or have their dwellings there". However, Britain ignored it because they wanted Jewish merchants to service their outpost but mainly because Britain had no interest in enforcing Spanish religious exclusions.

Britain provided a framework in which Jewish communities could live openly, participate in civic life, and pursue economic opportunities in relative security. Of course, the Middle Ages were brutal everywhere for Jews, but compared to continental Europe, Britain was generally a better place for Jews from the 18th Century onwards.

In modern Britain, Jewish contributions were celebrated and communities allowed to flourish. British Jews thrived and were resolutely loyal to the country and its monarchy – always saying a prayer for the Royal Family at communal gatherings. My own father, Sir Joshua Hassan – a British Sephardi Jew – became Gibraltar’s first ever Chief Minister and, over his 20 years in the position, became celebrated for his role in establishing self-governance for the territory.

That makes what we see today even more painful. A country that historically provided refuge and opportunity is now a place where many Jews feel increasingly unsafe.

According to Campaign Against Antisemitism research from December 2025, 96 per cent of British Jews said they feel less safe now than before the explosion of anti-Jewish racism in the aftermath of Hamas’ devastating 7 October 2023 terror attack. A further 59 per cent avoid displaying visible signs of their Jewish identity out of fear of antisemitism. The same survey found 61 per cent of British Jews have considered leaving the UK in the past two years, with antisemitism cited as the primary reason.

In the aftermath of the Manchester synagogue attack last October, incidents spiked sharply again, with dozens recorded in the immediate days following the assault. In 2025 overall, the Community Security Trust recorded approximately 3,700 incidents - the second-highest total ever.

These figures translate into real world consequences. Families weighing whether it is wise to let their children wear a Star of David necklace. Parents advising teenagers to turn school blazers inside out on public transport. I’ve witnessed heartbreaking dinner table conversations in the UK where Jewish families talk about their fears and share their plans to move to Israel.

Israelis – who need we forget have endured generations of terrorism and war – worry endlessly about their British relatives. A narrative has taken hold within Israel that the UK has become an inhospitable and dangerous place for Jews. The BBC is ridiculed on Israel’s biggest satirical TV shows. West Midlands Police became a household name for their scandalous ban of Israeli football fans. The UK’s historic university campuses once drew many young Israelis but have become a cesspit of pro-Hamas activism. The Britain that Israelis revered and to which they travelled in huge numbers is changing before their own eyes.

There is a real risk that this will have an additional chilling effect on the UK economy. The failure of British authorities to clamp down on violent pro-Palestinian ‘activism’ targeting Israeli businesses and the likes of Barclays – 20 properties damaged in 2024 alone – is making international investors question whether the UK is even a safe and welcoming place to do business in anymore.

Jews are not the only ones recognising this shift in safety concerns. Independent polling of the wider British population found that 45 per cent believe the UK is now either “mostly unsafe” or “very unsafe” for Jewish people, reflecting broader anxiety about antisemitism beyond the Jewish community.

Recent counter-terrorism cases have further heightened anxiety. In February 2026, two men were sentenced to life imprisonment for plotting an Islamic State-inspired mass shooting targeting Jewish communities in Greater Manchester. The investigation, involving MI5 and local police, revealed a plan explicitly directed at Jewish neighbourhoods.

These numbers show both community‑specific fear and wider societal concerns about safety in Britain, not as isolated anecdotes but as measurable shifts in perception. Reports and complaints about safety conditions are read across Europe, Israel and North America, harming the UK’s international standing and influencing impressions of Britain’s ability to provide security for its Jewish citizens. History shows that societies that allow antisemitism to fester end up harming themselves too, not because of some mystical curse but because antisemitism is always a symptom of a deeper rot, institutional decay and extremist politics.

____________________

Fleur Hassan Nahoum is a Special Envoy for the Israeli Foreign Ministry and Former Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem.

LBC Opinion provides a platform for diverse opinions on current affairs and matters of public interest.

The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official LBC position.

To contact us email opinion@lbc.co.uk