The marches in London today will frighten many, but we must fight for the spirit of Britain, writes Sir Keir Starmer

They are a reminder that our values are not given but earned. And that each of us has a responsibility to affirm the respect and decency that binds us together.

I know that many people across the country will understandably be frightened by what they may see today.

Muslim and ethnic minority communities concerned by the “Unite the Kingdom” march.

Jewish communities worried by the antisemitism that has too often accompanied demonstrations related to the Middle East.

Parents worried about what kind of country their children are growing up in when anger and hatred seem so loud.

I understand those concerns. They are concerns I share – and they are concerns that every decent person in this country should share too.

Because the truth is this: we are in a fight for the soul of this country. And it is a fight for all of us.

In part, it is an economic fight. The world is more dangerous than at any time in my lifetime. We can all see the consequences of events overseas on prices at the petrol pump. That is why we need to strengthen our economic, energy and national security.

But we also need to be fairer too. Fairness is the value that holds us together; that underpins the decency and respect we are known all around the world for.

We see that spirit every day. But we have seen it most clearly when we have faced our biggest challenges.

Take the pandemic: we saw neighbours checking in on elderly residents they had never met before. Mosques opening their doors as vaccination centres. Churches and synagogues organising food deliveries. NHS staff from every background working side by side through the darkest of times.

At our best, that is who we are. United not by our backgrounds, but by a shared sense of responsibility to one another and the common good.

That is our Britain – and it is a Britain worth fighting for.

But the organisers of the so-called “Unite the Kingdom” march speak for a different idea of Britain. They see the challenges we face today not as opportunities to bring people together, but as catalysts to tear them apart. They want people to believe this country is defined by what separates us – by race, religion, and suspicion of anyone who looks or lives differently from themselves.

I reject that completely. It is a betrayal of the values that have held this country together for generations – values that the majority of people still believe in. It is an attack on Britain itself. And I will not let the likes of Tommy Robinson use their hate to drag our country backwards.

The reality is these are individuals with long records of violence and extremism. Their goal is to inflame and divide. And they are seeking the support of far-right agitators around the world to make that happen.

I refuse to stand by and allow that poison to be imported into the UK. That is why my government has already revoked visas from foreign extremists who planned to attend today’s march and whip up hatred. And we will not hesitate to do it again. That is what it means to build a stronger, fairer Britain.

But we must also confront another truth. The cause of a Palestinian state is just and, alongside a safe and secure Israel, one that is recognised by this Government.

But on marches that support that cause, it is not hard to find individuals who abuse it to spread antisemitism and intimidate Jewish communities. And this is taking place against the backdrop of a deeply worrying rise in antisemitic incidents – including terrorist attacks. The end result is that British Jews feel unsafe in their own streets.

That is intolerable – and we won’t tolerate it. The right to protest is fundamental. But protest should not become a cover for hatred. And so when those views cross a line into racial intimidation or violence, we will act decisively.

Perpetrators should be in no doubt: regardless of ideology, when they attack our minority communities, we will use the full force of the law. We will support the police to make arrests and pursue charges. And we will do it swiftly.

Because respectful disagreement is one of the values that defines us. But once we lose the ability to disagree without dehumanising one another, we begin to lose something even more essential about who we are.

The overwhelming majority of people in this country understand that instinctively. Most people in this country do not care what faith you follow, where your parents came from, or the colour of your skin. They care about how you treat people, the values you live by, and the kind of country we build together. And most people reject extremism, whether it comes wrapped in the language of nationalism or hidden behind a banner of solidarity.

They may not always be the loudest voices online or on our streets. But they are the majority – the decent majority. And they must define our future – just as they have our past.

Because this country belongs to all of us.

It belongs to the Muslim family worried about abuse on their way to mosque. It belongs to the Jewish student on campus afraid to be open about who they are. And it belongs to the quiet majority who want to live in a country where people treat one another with dignity and respect.

That is our Britain. And I will not tolerate anyone who seeks to tear it apart.

____________________

Sir Keir Starmer is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the Member of Parliament for Holborn and St Pancras.

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