Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged to strengthen police numbers in Jewish communities across the UK following a terrorist attack outside a synagogue in Manchester on Thursday, which occurred on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. Describing the incident as an act of antisemitism, Starmer vowed that the country would stand up to the hatred behind it.
In a statement from Downing Street, Starmer said: “Earlier today, on Yom Kippur, the holiest day for the Jewish community, a vile individual committed a terrorist attack that attacked Jews because they are Jews, and attacked Britain because of our values.” He promised a more visible police presence in the coming days, stating: “I promise you that I will do everything in my power to guarantee you the security that you deserve.”
The prime minister spoke after chairing a meeting of the Cobra emergency committee, having returned from a trip to Copenhagen. His sentiments were echoed by other party leaders, including Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, who emphasised the need for Britain to remain a safe country for Jewish people, and Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey, who expressed horror at the attack.
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham condemned the attack as “a horrific antisemitic attack on our Jewish friends and neighbours,” while Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood confirmed that security had been stepped up at synagogues nationwide. She assured the public that the government would “do whatever is required to keep our Jewish community safe.”
