Extracts from PMQs: Holocaust Memorial Day - Jan 23
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The Prime Minister (Mrs Theresa May) I am sure that Members across
the House will wish to join me in marking Holocaust Memorial Day
this Sunday. It is an opportunity for us to remember all those who
suffered in the holocaust and in subsequent genocides around the
world. It is a reminder that we must all challenge and condemn
prejudice and hatred wherever it is found. Jeremy Corbyn (Islington
North) (Lab)...Request free trial
I am sure that Members across the House will wish to join me in marking Holocaust Memorial Day this Sunday. It is an opportunity for us to remember all those who suffered in the holocaust and in subsequent genocides around the world. It is a reminder that we must all challenge and condemn prejudice and hatred wherever it is found.
Sunday is Holocaust Memorial Day, a time for us all to
reflect on the horrors of genocide and to recommit to
never again allowing the poison of antisemitism and
racism to disfigure our society in any way. The Prime
Minister was also right to acknowledge the other
genocides that have happened since the second world war.
It is up to us to try to prevent such horrors from ever
happening again anywhere in the world. What I, members of the Cabinet and the whole Government are doing is working to ensure that we leave the European Union with a deal. That is the way to avoid no deal: to leave the European Union with a deal. I say to the right hon. Gentleman that what I have wanted to do—I have been doing it with Members across the House—is sit down and talk about how we can secure support in this House for a deal. He has been willing to sit down with Hamas, Hezbollah and the IRA without preconditions, yet he will not meet me to talk about Brexit. In this case, he is neither present nor involved.
I join the Prime Minister in marking Holocaust
Memorial Day. It is important that we reflect on
man’s inhumanity to man at that time and
subsequently, most recently towards the Rohingya
people. More must be done to eradicate the risk of
genocide that is suffered by peoples throughout the
world. Q7. To mark Holocaust Memorial Day a Chichester choir will be coming to Parliament to perform “Push”, a moving opera about the life of Simon Gronowski, who was pushed off a train by his mother to spare him from certain death at Auschwitz. His mother and sister died but Simon will be here to share his story, which shows us the best and worst of humanity. At a time when antisemitism is rising across Europe and here in our communities, does the Prime Minister agree that it is vital that we learn the lessons of history to eradicate antisemitism, and will she, if possible, join us at the performance in Speaker’s House next Monday? [908735] I thank my hon. Friend for raising this important issue and highlighting that case, which shows the horrors that so many people went through during the holocaust. We welcome the Chichester choir to Parliament performing “Push”, and I commend it on its work in keeping alive the remarkable story of Simon Gronowski. As I have just indicated, his story reminds us of the millions who were killed in the concentration camps and the absolute horror of the holocaust. We should all remember that, and remember genocides that have, sadly, occurred since, and condemn hatred and prejudice in all its forms, including antisemitism wherever it is found. There is no place for racial hatred in our society. I apologise because I suspect I may not be able to attend the performance my hon. Friend referred to, but I hope she will pass on my thanks to the choir for coming here and for the work it is doing. |