Gove: Surge in anti-semitism is comparable to rise of the Nazis

MICHAEL GOVE has compared the surge in anti-semitism in the UK to the rise of Nazis in Germany.

In a speech at a Jewish community centre in London today, the Communities Secretary will warn that the safety of the Jewish community is the “canary in the mine” in acting as an early warning sign of threats to cherished freedoms in the UK.

He will say anti-semitism is the common currency of hate that unites extremist groups – whether Islamist, Right-wing or hard-left – whom he has pledged to tackle as divisive and a threat to community cohesion. His remarks follows figures showing a record high of 4,103 anti-semitic incidents last year, up 147 per cent on the previous year.

Some 2,699 were in the period on or after the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on Oct 7, equivalent to 66 per cent of the annual total.

The Home Office will today publish

the independent review into political violence and disruption in the UK by the independent advisor Lord Walney.

The report will set out more than 40 recommendations on ways for ministers and public bodies to deal with violent and disruptive protests.

In his speech, Mr Gove will say organisers of the pro-palestinian marches in cities across the UK are failing to do enough to prevent the display of anti-semitic symbols.

Within the next month, he will publicly name and shame extremist organisations that the Government claims have sought to subvert democracy and promote hatred.

He named three Muslim groups in

Parliament to be investigated over extremism fears.

Any that appear on the final list will be barred from any Government funding or contact.

Mr Gove will say: “It’s an iron-clad law of history that countries which are descending into darkness are those which are becoming progressively more unsafe for Jewish individuals and the Jewish community – the Spain of the Inquisition, the Vienna of the 1900s, Germany in the 1930s, Russia in the last decade.

“It is a parallel law that those countries in which the Jewish community has felt most safe at any time are the countries where freedom is most secure

at any time – the Netherlands of the 17th century; Britain in the first decades of the last century; and America in the second half of that century.

“So when Jewish people are under threat, all our freedoms are threatened.

“The safety of the Jewish community is the canary in the mine.

“Growing Anti-semitism is a fever which weakens the whole body politic. And I see that directly in my work tackling extremism and promoting community cohesion.

“There is one thing which - increasingly - unites the organisations and individuals which give cause for extremist concern. Anti-semitism. It is the common currency of hate.”