Jewish Chronicle journalist Nicole Lampert has accused the Government of “two years of failure” to tackle rising antisemitism, claiming ministers have allowed hatred towards the Jewish community to grow “unchecked”.
Speaking to GB News, Ms Lampert said there was “palpable anger” within the community following the Manchester synagogue attack, and described deputy Prime Minister David Lammy as “the worst person the Government could have sent."
The Deputy Prime Minister spoke at a vigil yesterday in Manchester after two people were killed in an attack on a local synagogue.
Speaking to GB News, Ms Lampert said: "I think there was palpable anger in the community and in me. David Lammy was probably the worst person the Government could have sent.
Nicole Lampert has accused the Government of 'two years of failure' to tackle rising antisemitism
|GB NEWS
"But I’m not sure the Government realised just how angry the Jewish community is about its failure to act on two years of hatred and, in fact, the Government’s own role in ramping up that hatred.
"I know there have been calls to cancel pro-Palestine demonstrations today, but that goes nowhere near far enough.
"This has been two years of hatred on our streets, two years of hatred in our universities and within the unions.
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"I’ve written quite extensively about what’s been happening in the school unions, where we have a union leader who has called for the 'globalisation of the intifada'.
"The intifada is violence against Jews and that is what we saw in Crumpsall on Yom Kippur.
"There is just a huge amount of anger that so little has been done to stop what many of us in this community have been warning would happen.
"What really came through to me, I lived in Manchester for seven years, was that on Thursday and Friday, when I phoned Jewish friends to console and commiserate with them about what was going on, the fear was overwhelming.
"No matter how old they were or what background they came from, they were genuinely frightened.
"And this sense of fear within the community isn’t confined to one or two people being attacked, they feel they are all being attacked.
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"We’ve felt this for two years. We felt it on the day of the October 7 attack and in the days after, when people were out on the streets celebrating and shouting about Zionists. This isn’t new.
"It’s felt a bit like we’re the proverbial frog in the pot, the temperature has been rising, encouraged by the Government and by others who have talked about the “inhumanity” of Israel’s actions."
Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66, were killed, while three others remain in hospital with serious injuries after the attack which took place on Yom Kippur, Judaism’s holiest day.
Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson confirmed that the only shots fired outside the synagogue came from armed officers, as Al-Shamie himself was unarmed.
David Lammy paid tribute to the people who lost there lives in Manchester
| PAIn a statement released on Friday, Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Rabbi Daniel Walker, its president Hilary Foxler and chairman of trustees Alan Levy, described the terror attack as a “desecration”.
The trio went on to say the incident was “an episode that has changed us all forever”.
In a tribute to those who died, their statement added: “These were not simply members of our synagogue – they were our friends, our family – and their absence leaves a void that can never be filled.”
It is understood that police are still no closer to providing a conclusive motive for the attack.
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