Keir Starmer has promised to strengthen police numbers in Jewish communities across the country after Thursday’s terrorist attack outside a synagogue in Manchester.
The prime minister called the attack in the Crumpsall area an act of antisemitism and said the country would stand up to the hatred behind it.
In a statement from Downing Street on Thursday evening, Starmer said: “Earlier today, on Yom Kippur, the holiest day for the Jewish community, a vile individual committed a terrorist attack that attacked Jews because they are Jews, and attacked Britain because of our values.
“So many Jewish families first came to this country as a place of refuge, fleeing the greatest evil ever inflicted on a people, and Britain welcomed them.
“Communities like the one attacked in Manchester provided safety, but also the security that comes from a promise that this is a country that stands up to hatred and that we don’t just provide refuge, we provide a home.”
Vowing a police response in the coming days, he added: “I promise you that I will do everything in my power to guarantee you the security that you deserve, starting with a more visible police presence, protecting your community.
“I promise you that over the coming days, you will see the other Britain, the Britain of compassion, of decency, of love.”
The prime minister was speaking hours after returning to the UK from a trip to Copenhagen, where he was meeting other leaders at the European Political Community.
Starmer chaired a meeting of the Cobra emergency committee before making his statement from No 10.
Police officers patrol the Reading Hebrew Congregation in Reading. Keir Starmer said ‘additional police assets’ would be deployed at synagogues across the UK. Photograph: Andrew Matthews/PA
The prime minister’s sentiments were echoed by other party leaders.
Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, said: “One of my core beliefs is that we need to make sure that Britain is a safe country for Jewish people.
“Many people fled the Holocaust in Europe. They found sanctuary in the UK. We need to make sure that we continue to be a safe place for Jewish people.
“And what we have seen over the last few years, especially since October 7, is an increase in the climate of intimidation and fear, an increase in antisemitism.”
Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat leader, said: “Horrified and appalled by the attack outside Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. My thoughts are with the victims, our brave emergency services and the entire Jewish community.”
Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK, posted on X: “I am horrified by the attack at a synagogue in Manchester today, particularly on Yom Kippur … my thoughts and prayers are with the families of those affected and the Jewish community who will be suffering at this time, and my thanks go to the emergency services.”
Map of attack
The Green party leader, Zack Polanski, who is Jewish and grew up near where the attack happened, said: “This horrific attack feels deeply personal for me as I grew up in the Jewish community in Manchester.
“My heart goes out to all those impacted by this dreadful act of terror. It is a sad reflection of the growing antisemitism we’ve witnessed for several years, as well as rising hate crime. It emphasises the importance of interfaith work; of bringing people together in our communities.”
At a press conference on Thursday evening, the mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, condemned the morning’s events as “a horrific antisemitic attack on our Jewish friends and neighbours”.
He appeared alongside the home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, who said security had been stepped up at synagogues across the country and promised that the government would “do whatever is required to keep our Jewish community safe”.
“I know that there are many questions that are still to be answered, and rest assured, they will be answered as quickly as possible,” she said. “It will just take a little time for us to establish exactly what has happened here, but we will share more information as soon as we are able to.”
Burnham added: “Greater Manchester will never stand aside when one of our communities is attacked. We ask everyone to show solidarity to the Jewish community this weekend, and already we’ve mobilised through our interfaith network messages of support and solidarity through places of worship,” he said.
“We always will stand together here in Greater Manchester, and we will never let acts that are designed to cause hatred, division in our communities, violence – we will never let them succeed.”
The leader of Manchester city council, Bev Craig, said: “We know that this will leave a deep mark on our community here in Manchester, as Jewish people were attacked on their holiest day as they went to worship.
“But know this, in Manchester we will stand with and support our Jewish friends, our Jewish community, our neighbours, fellow residents.
“We’ll stand together, wrapping our arms around them with the love and the support that they need. We will work with agencies to make sure right across the city, everyone in our city feels safe.”
