'Everyone has a responsibility to call it out': Heidi Alexander defends Starmer's stance on 'globalise the Intifada' chanters
The Transport Secretary said the Prime Minister was determined to "root out this evil in our society" following the spate of attacks on Jewish communities
The Transport Secretary has defended the Prime Minister's stance on pro-Palestine marches and told LBC that Labour wants a country where "Jewish children don't have to go to school with barbed wire around the buildings".
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Heidi Alexander said Sir Keir Starmer "totally understands the anger and the depth of feeling" following the Golders Green attack on Wednesday.
The Prime Minister has this week called on protesters to call out those chanting "globalise the intifada" at Gaza marches but while also suggesting he wanted to see tougher action against people using certain phrases the rallies, he stopped short of agreeing with calls for a ban on the marches.
Speaking to LBC's Sunday with Lewis Goodall, Ms Alexander said it was the responsibility of everyone to "speak up" against certain chants, but said the PM will continue to defend the right to peaceful protest.
Read more: Keir Starmer warns Labour against political infighting amid leadership talk
Starmer was met with jeers and heckles of "Keir Starmer, Jew harmer" when he visited Golders Green to meet emergency services who responded to the attack.
Asked her reaction to the reception, Ms Alexander said: "I think he has said he totally understands the anger and the depth of feeling.
"There has been a series of attacks, whether it was the Eaton Park synagogue incident, the arson attacks on the Jewish ambulances, Hatzalah, and then this.
"I'm clear that the Prime Minister in this government wants to build a country where Jewish children don't have to go to school that have barbed wire around the buildings, and when the Jewish community goes to worship at their synagogues, they don't have to have a security guard stood at the door.
"We've given more power to the police to take action against these intimidatory and these repeat marches where there's one community that is constantly on the receiving end.
"We will take action across the board to root out this evil in our society."
Speaking after the attack, which saw the UK terrorism threat level raised to "severe", Starmer said he will continue to defend the country's right to a free speech.
But he added: "If you are on a march or a protest where people are chanting, globalise the Intifada, you do have to stop and ask yourself, why am I not calling this out?
"Why am I on a march where this is the chant? And I do think it’s time for people just to ask themselves that."
Sir Keir suggested he was not in favour of banning the marches as a whole, and instead suggested a "whole of society response" was needed to draw attention to antisemitism, alongside "further powers" to police demonstrations.
Defending the PM, Ms Alexander said: "What [Sir Keir] said was he thinks everyone's got a responsibility to call it out.
"Knowing as we do what the Jewish community hear which is violence towards Jews when people shout, "Globalize the Intifada," he was saying that actually it's on all of us.
"If individuals go to a protest to express their concerns about what is happening in the Middle East, then individuals on that march have all got a responsibility to speak up. The police have a responsibility."
Asked about speculation surrounding Sir Keir ahead of the local elections on Thursday, Ms Alexander said: "I do think the Prime Minister should stay in his job.
"I don't think the country would thank us if we turned inward on ourselves and became some sort of self-indulgent debating society."