‘Britain must defeat rising antisemitism’: UK PM Starmer on Manchester terror attack

Starmer described the attacker as a "vile individual" who was motivated by the desire to attack Jews "because they are Jews".

London: Prime Minister Keir Starmer promised to do everything in his power to defeat antisemitism and protect Britain's Jews after the killing of two people at a synagogue in northern England.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks following the incident at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester, at 10 Downing Street, London, Britain. James Manning/Pool via REUTERS(via REUTERS)

Starmer returned early from a European summit in Copenhagen after the attack in Manchester, which spread fear through a community already reeling from a sharp rise in antisemitic incidents.

He described the attacker as a "vile individual" who was motivated by the desire to attack Jews "because they are Jews".

Jewish leaders in Britain have complained about the regular staging of pro-Palestinian marches in London since Israel began devastating the Gaza Strip, killing tens of thousands of Palestinians, in response to an attack on Israel in October 2023 led by Hamas militants. Some 1,200 people were killed in that attack and 251 taken as hostages back to Gaza, according to Israeli tallies.

Starmer said there would be more police outside British synagogues and that he would work hard to reassure the Jewish community.

"I promise you that I will do everything in my power to guarantee you the security that you deserve," he said.