Commission on Antisemitism Report

Baroness Deech Excerpts

Thursday 17th July 2025 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Baroness Deech]

To ask His Majesty’s Government what steps they will take to implement the recommendations in the report of the Commission on Antisemitism by Lord Mann and Dame Penny Mordaunt published on 15 July.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (Baroness Taylor of Stevenage) (Lab)]

My Lords, before I answer the Question asked by the noble Baroness, Lady Deech, I start by wishing the extraordinary survivor from the Women’s Orchestra of Auschwitz, Anita Lasker-Wallfisch, a very happy 100th birthday today. I repeat her advice to young people, which was broadcast this morning. She told them:

“Hate is a poison and in the end you poison yourself … Talk to each other before you kill each other”.


I think that is wonderful advice.

Antisemitism has absolutely no place in our society, which is why our Government are taking a strong lead in tackling it in all its forms. We will carefully consider the recommendations of the report. The Government continue to work closely with their Independent Adviser on Antisemitism, my noble friend Lord Mann, and their Antisemitism Working Group, on the best methods to effectively tackle antisemitism and engage Jewish communities around international, national and local events affecting British Jews. I thank my noble friend Lord Mann and Dame Penny Mordaunt for their work on this report and their wider contribution.

[Baroness Deech (CB)]

My Lords, I echo the Minister’s thanks to the noble Lord, Lord Mann, for all the work he has done fighting antisemitism and for producing this really rather shocking report. Antisemitism, he says, did not increase because of Gaza. It was released from underground by 7 October and, sadly, was nurtured by the BBC being economical with the truth. It is rooted in the unfortunate myths still taught in school religion classes, which need to be tackled, and it is not dispelled by Holocaust education. Most shocking is the NHS, where Jewish patients cannot feel confident of fair treatment: there were more than 400 complaints since 7 October, most of them closed or not processed. Will the Government place the NHS at the forefront of their actions?

[Baroness Taylor of Stevenage (Lab)]

My Lords, the evidence that my noble friend Lord Mann and Dame Penny Mordaunt quoted in the report and in the subsequent article published by my noble friend relating to the specific unaddressed issue of antisemitism within the NHS was shocking. They made two recommendations: a summit for NHS leaders across the UK and basic training across every NHS trust. I am sure that my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care will take those recommendations very seriously and look into them.