Attorney General Richard Hermer has expressed the Jewish community's shock and fear following a terror attack on a Manchester synagogue, calling for greater protection and a firm stand against antisemitism.
Writing in Jewish News, Hermer, one of the UK's most senior Jewish politicians and a close ally of Prime Minister Keir Starmer, said the community is 'heartbroken, frightened and angry' at the rising tide of antisemitism, which he said is too often explained away.
Hermer stressed that British Jews are not seeking special treatment but the right to live and worship freely without fear. He called for police protection for schools and synagogues and urged leaders from all parties to call out antisemitism wherever it appears.
The attorney general added that while stepping up security is the right response, it 'cannot be the end of the conversation'. He said the government is focused on bringing communities together to heal and building a country where no minority lives in fear.
Prime Minister Starmer, whose wife Victoria is Jewish, issued a recorded message to the Jewish community, pledging to 'wrap arms' around them and ensure a more visible police presence. He promised to do everything in his power to guarantee their security.
