Event Type: APPG

On Tuesday 7 July, APPG Against Antisemitism co-chairs Catherine McKinnell MP and Andrew Percy MP hosted a virtual meeting, for members of the APPG Against Antisemitism. The MPs on the call heard from both the Antisemitism Policy Trust and Community Security Trust about how anti-Jewish racism has been developing during the global pandemic, and specific Covid-related antisemitism. The CST presented details of its recent report ‘Hate Fuel’ which exposes far-right extremist activity taking place online, including on British platforms.

MPs and Peers on the call included:
Catherine McKinnell MP, Andrew Percy MP, Rosie Duffield MP, Lord Harris of Haringey, Tony Lloyd MP, Rt Hon Dame Margaret Hodge MP, Lord Stunell, Dr Lisa Cameron MP, Anthony Higginbotham MP, Lord Beecham, Afzal Khan MP, Sir Peter Bottomley MP, Holly Mumby-Croft MP, Nicola Richards MP and Stephen Doughty MP.

Parliamentarians of all parties and both houses came to hear Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis give his first address in parliament, under the auspices of the All-Party Parliamentary Group Against Antisemitism.

The Chief Rabbi gave his thoughts on the history of antisemitism, followed by a detailed update on antisemitism in Europe and the UK twinned with personal anecdotes. He answered a wide range of questions relating to antisemitism including on matters relating to the Middle East, circumcision, kosher ritual slaughter and the Holocaust.

He was warmly received by all those present, which included:

Mike Freer MP (Chair), Mike Gapes MP, Louise Ellman MP, Jonathan Djanogly MP, Eric Ollerenshaw MP, Mark Durkan MP, Seema Malhotra MP, David Burrowes MP, Ian Austin MP, Lord Howard of Lympne, Lord Carlile of Berriew, Lord Mendelsohn of Finchley, Lord Beecham, Baroness Deech, Baroness Hayman and Lord Alderdice.

The Society of Editors launched their Online Moderation Guide at the House of Commons on 10 September 2014. Communities Minister Stephen Williams praised the APPG Against Antisemitism for its role in inspiring the report and John Mann MP, chair of the APPG praised in turn, the Society of Editors for “stepping up to the mark in the fight against antisemitism and showing what civic society can do. Both Mann and Williams refered to the report as the start of an important conversation, with the Minister suggesting that online anonymity and enhanced registration requirements might be future important steps for newspaper comment board moderators to consider.

APPG members have been clear. They don’t want to inhibit freedom of expression but where good practice exists it should be highlighted and shared as widely as possible. Engendering a responsible online community is of significant importance.

Other than APPG chair John Mann MP and Communities Minister Stephen Williams MP, the audience was also addressed by Society of Editors President Ian Murray and Peter Cole, the author of the research.

Background

The All-Party Inquiry into Antisemitism reported in 2006 and one of the recommendations (number 18) focussed on the media and the responsibility to have a sensible discourse on Judaism, anti-Zionism and the Middle East. As a result of the inquiry, the Labour government established the cross-Government working group on antisemitism and the coalition government committed at an early stage to keep that group going. In discussing recommendation 18, the APPG Against Antisemitism repeatedly raised online comment board moderation as an issue. DCLG as the secretariat to the cross-Whitehall group took this up with the Society of Editors and funded the production of the guide.

As part of the evidence gathering process for an all-party parliamentary report into the antisemitism which emanated from the escalation of the Middle East conflict over the summer of 2014, a delegation of MPs travelled to Paris and Berlin.

APPG chair John Mann MP, led the fact-finding mission to meet politicians, Foreign Ministry representatives and journalists. APPG president Sir Andrew Stunell joined him as did Luciana Berger MP. Although he had planned to join the delegation, Ian Paisley Junior MP was sadly unable to attend owing to the passing of his father.

As part of the All-Party Inquiry into Antisemitism, three leading academics in the field of analysing and understanding antisemitism came to give evidence and brief MPs. The contributions of David Feldman, Paul Iganski and Ben Gidley will form part of the evidence base for the report which is due to be published in January.

On 4 November 2014, a special meeting was convened of the Cross-Government Working Group on Antisemitism. The meeting was addressed by Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis -the first time any Chief Rabbi had spoken to the group – and by Communities Minister Stephen Williams MP. Amongst the topics discussed were the increase in incidents over the summer period and concerns about social media.

As part of the All-Party Inquiry into Antisemitism, MPs from across the parties came to hear details of the latest rise in antisemitic incidents. Graham Brady MP, Rt Hon Alistair Burt MP, David Davies MP, Rt Hon Sir Andrew Stunell MP and Luciana Berger MP all attended. The information provided by CST will help to inform the report being drafted for publication in January.

As part of a series of town hall meetings across the country, the PCAA Foundation visited Nottingham where leading member of the APPG Against Antisemitism, Lilian Greenwood MP spoke to the local Jewish community. Other speakers included Jonny Newton from the Community Security Trust and Danny Stone from the PCAA Foundation.

As part of the evidence gathering process for an all-party parliamentary report into the antisemitism which emanated from the escalation of the Middle East conflict over the summer of 2014, MPs travelled to Amsterdam.

APPG chair John Mann MP, led the fact-finding mission to meet politicians, Foreign Ministry representatives and journalists. Guto Bebb MP joined him.

John Mann MP and Matthew Offord MP visited Dublin as part of the all-party inquiry into antisemitism. Meetings were held with the Jewish community and social media companies Facebook and Twitter.