MP calls for debate on 'British Jewish history month'

Representation to the Backbench Business Committee: 

Nickie Aiken (Conservative MP for Cities of London and Westminster): ... I do not have to explain to the Committee the situation in the middle east and the repercussions for the United Kingdom.

In London alone, we have seen a rise of over 1,300% in cases of antisemitism. Let me paint a picture. During Prorogation a couple of weeks ago, Mike Freer asked me to welcome some children from a Jewish primary school in his constituency to Parliament because he could not make it. I met them in Westminster Hall, and they were nine and 10-year-old boys. I said to them, “Why are you wearing baseball caps?”, and they said, “To hide our kippahs.” That really shocked me—that there are children, British children, in this country, hiding their identities. And then I thought, we talk about all the negatives and we talk a lot about antisemitism, which is absolutely right, but I really do think it is time that we celebrated the British Jewish community, which has made such a massive contribution to this country for hundreds of years.

Obviously, I represent the Cities of London and Westminster, and in the City of London I am proud that we have the oldest synagogue in the United Kingdom—and possibly in Europe. So, we have huge history across London and across the United Kingdom. I am very grateful that Kirsten is here, who has a big Jewish community in her East Renfrewshire constituency, and Sally-Ann Hart from Hastings and Rye is also sitting beside me.

I was quite overwhelmed by the number of people who agreed to sign my application within a couple of hours. That is not everybody who wanted to sign—quite a few people contacted me after the deadline. So, there is huge interest in this subject and a huge wish to celebrate the Jewish community in this country. Also, it is time that we had some form of national recognition with a British Jewish history month. The debate would call for that and it would be interesting to hear how the Government respond.

Q9                Bob Blackman: Obviously it is a good application, with a huge number of potential speakers. The only point is, of course, the potential time-sensitivity of this debate. Do you have a particular need to hold this debate quickly? In fact, is there a suggestion of when the Jewish month would be?

              Nickie Aiken: I have had tentative conversations. Obviously, the Holocaust memorial month is January, and with this parliamentary term coming to an end in a couple of weeks’ time it may be that you could find time in January to coincide with that. But for the month itself I think that we would want to look at a different month, because January is all about the Holocaust. I do think we need to have a positive debate, and the British Jewish history month would be a positive.

We are in your hands. I would like the debate to be in the Chamber, if possible, because it is such an important subject.

Q10            Patricia Gibson: I just want to say that I think it is a very good application, and it is the sort of application that I would have signed, had I not been a member of this Committee. I think we need to do the kinds of things that your debate is seeking to do, and I think we need to do them, probably, more urgently than ever. This is not why I wanted to speak to you, but I would commend my early-day motion on this very issue to you, because I think it is very important. I have spoken to Kirsten about this before; I think it is very important.

              Kirsten Oswald: I am really grateful that Nickie has brought this application. I think it is really important. It is important for communities like mine in East Renfrewshire. A very significant proportion of Scotland’s Jewish community live in my local area. We have the only Jewish school in Scotland in East Renfrewshire. It adds immeasurably to our community, as does the diversity of the people who live there. I think to celebrate that, and to focus on the contribution of the Jewish community in particular, we should be the people who are leading that. That is part of our job in this place, and communities like mine are immeasurably better because we have the Jewish community as part of our broader community.

Given where things are now—the challenges that Nickie set out—I think that these things trouble us all. Nobody should feel anything other than supremely confident to walk around and be visibly and proudly Jewish, and people are not feeling that way; so part of our job here is to bring this kind of debate to the Floor, so that we can very clearly indicate our solidarity with our Jewish communities and make it very clear what we think about the scourge of antisemitism. I would be really grateful if the Committee were to support Nickie’s application, and I hope that they would do so sooner rather than later. Hanukkah is coming up.

              Nickie Aiken: That is a very good point.

              Kirsten Oswald: Just as a hint.

              Nickie Aiken: Yes. We are in your hands, Mr Chairman. Obviously, I would like it as soon as possible, but I understand what you said earlier about the number of debates that you have got ahead.

Q11            Bob Blackman: Could I suggest that it would be very helpful, given the objective of the debate you have requested, to have a substantive motion to go with this?

Nickie Aiken: Yes, absolutely.

Q12            Bob Blackman: That does mean, of course, that we’d have to hold it in the Chamber, and you might want to cut and paste an early-day motion.

              Kirsten Oswald: A very good EDM, even if I say it myself.

              Nickie Aiken: I will have a wee look, I promise.

Q13            Kevin Foster: I think Mr Blackman has probably covered the main point for me. Given the way you have phrased the debate and the fact that you have a specific ask rather than just, “This House has considered the British Jewish community's contribution to the UK,” are you thinking of having, “This House has considered and agrees,” or would you like to see an annual British Jewish history month created? That might be something to think about.

              Nickie Aiken: Yes, absolutely. I think that is really good advice from the Committee and I certainly want to do that.

Chair: Thank you. I should declare a minor interest, in that I have a very large Haredi Jewish community in my constituency. There are seven or eight schools and colleges, a rabbinical college and a Talmudical college all situated in the community in which I live in Bensham, in my Gateshead constituency. With the influx of students, the Jewish community in Gateshead swells from about 4,500 to 7,000 on an annual basis, so I definitely have a constituency interest in the whole subject. Thank you very much for bringing it to us.