Hatzola Ambulance Attack

Catherine West Excerpts

Monday 23rd March 2026 Commons Chamber

[Dan Jarvis]

Let me begin with what I hope is a point of consensus between the shadow Home Secretary and me. I think he will agree that any attack on the Jewish community is not just an attack on the Jewish community or on London, but an attack on our whole country. I think we send a very powerful message as a House of Commons if we stand together in saying that such attacks are completely unacceptable.

The shadow Home Secretary referred, I think slightly unfairly, to warm words. These are not warm words; these words are a statement of solidarity on behalf of the Government, and I hope on behalf of all of us in this place, in standing with the Jewish community at what is a very significant point of challenge for them. We recognise that, and we give an absolute commitment to do everything we possibly can and to use every power we have to keep that community safe—and if there is a requirement for additional powers, we will make sure we put those in place.

The right hon. Gentleman mentioned the Community Security Trust. I want to take this opportunity, and I know he will join me in doing so, to pay tribute to the extraordinary dedication and work not just of those employed by the CST, but of the extraordinary volunteer team, whom I have seen, as other hon. Members will have done, who do an extraordinary job under difficult circumstances. It is an inspiring organisation—I spoke to the chief executive this morning—and I know all of us in this place will want to do everything we possibly can to support it.

The right hon. Gentleman made a number of points, some of which I think were reasonable and some slightly less so. I think he made an entirely valid point about the need to counter extremism in our country, and these are measures that we are seeking to take. Again, I would never want to have this debate in a party political environment, but we do need to clamp down on those who seek to bring hate to our country, and the Home Secretary is absolutely clear that she will use all the powers available to her to do that.

The shadow Home Secretary made a reasonable point about Prevent referrals, and he has flagged that with me previously. That is not new to this Government—it goes back under the previous Government—and we are looking very carefully at what we can do to ensure that there is much less of the mismatch he described. I give him an assurance that we are looking very closely at that. He also referenced the concern that I know lots of hon. Members will have about the protest activity that has taken place in recent times. That is precisely why the Home Secretary has commissioned Lord Macdonald to look at the issue, and we expect him to make recommendations as soon as he is practically able to do so.

[Catherine West (Hornsey and Friern Barnet) (Lab)]

I thank my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Finchley and Golders Green (Sarah Sackman), who is sitting beside the Minister for Security, for her urgent action today, and my hon. Friend the Member for Hendon (David Pinto-Duschinsky), who I know will speak shortly, from the other side of Barnet.

The four Barnet MPs are very upset and worried about what happened early this morning, and I just want to put on record our huge thanks to all the partners who have jumped into action, such as the gold group, the Mayor of London, the police and the borough authorities. Everybody is sending out huge messages of support, and we have heard with great gratitude the very strong security message that this incident will be investigated fully, and that no stone will be left unturned until we find the alleged perpetrators of this incident.

[Dan Jarvis]

I am very grateful to my hon. Friend and to other colleagues for the work they have done. It is at moments like this when we see the very worst of our country, but also the best: the brave men and women in the police, our intelligence services, and the fire and rescue service stepping forward to do everything they can to provide support. The police are engaged in a very significant operation to try to track down the perpetrators of this awful crime and bring them to justice. I know that they will have my hon. Friend’s support and the support of the whole House.