UK’s Starmer convenes local leaders to fight antisemitism, says foreign country may be behind wave of attacks

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer urges leaders from across society to work together to eradicate antisemitism “from every corner,” as he convenes a meeting following a spate of attacks on Jews, including the stabbing of two men in London.

The attacks have left Jewish communities fearing for their safety and piled pressure on Starmer to show he can tackle them. The opposition Conservative Party has called antisemitism a “national emergency.”

Starmer tells the meeting — which brings together representatives from business, health, culture, higher education and policing for talks with members of the Jewish community — that investigators are examining whether a foreign state could be behind some of the incidents.

“Our message to Iran or to any other country that might seek to foment violence, hatred or division in society, is that it will not be tolerated,” Starmer says, adding that the government is fast-tracking legislation to tackle threats.

Starmer also announces new requirements for universities to publish details of antisemitic incidents on their campuses and the steps being taken to address them.

“Only by working together, we eradicate antisemitism from every corner,” Starmer says.