Universities must tackle antisemitism, says Education Secretary Phillipson

Universities must act to protect Jewish students from harassment and discrimination on campuses, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has said, as she set out measures to tackle antisemitism.

Phillipson said there had been an “unacceptable increase in antisemitism” at universities and added that many Jewish students currently do not feel safe on campuses.

She said the UK government was funding training to help staff and students at universities “tackle this poison of antisemitism”.

“There can be no place for harassment and intimidation,” Phillipson told BBC One’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme. “Universities can and must act on that.”

Speaking on the programme, Conservative shadow foreign secretary Priti Patel said the Labour government should be “gripping” antisemitism in the UK, including what she branded “hate marches where people are being so racist to the Jewish community”.

She argued “hatred” was demonstrated on the streets of London on Saturday, when thousands of protesters gathered for a rally in support of Palestinians.

There have also been regular protests staged at universities over the conflict in Gaza, including on the second anniversary of the 7 October Hamas attack on Israel earlier this week.

The protests went ahead despite the pleas of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who urged students not to take part, warning of “rising antisemitism on our streets”.

The demonstrations came days after two Jewish men were killed in a terrorist attack at a Manchester synagogue on Yom Kippur.

A report by CST last year found a 117% increase in antisemitic incidents on university campuses in the 2022/23 and 2023/2024 academic years, when compared with the preceding two years.

Phillipson said she had spoken to Jewish students who felt they needed to conceal their identity.

“On campus, Jewish students don’t feel safe,” she said. “And often, parents worry about sending their children to university. We cannot accept that. There can be no place for it.”

The education secretary said she had written to university vice-chancellors urging them to take steps to protect Jewish students from harassment.

The government said the Union of Jewish Students will deliver 600 training sessions to help university staff support students, identify harassment and hate.

A £4m fund will support projects that teach pupils and students how to identify misinformation online and promote interfaith understanding.

Separately, £2m is being put towards a scheme to teach secondary school pupils in England about the Holocaust – the genocide of Jews during World War Two.

Patel said the Conservatives stood by the right to protest and freedom of expression.

But Patel told Laura Kuenssberg that pro-Palestinian marches taking place in London were “ugly protests” which demonstrated “division and hatred” in our society.

“Look at what happened on the streets of London yesterday. Look at the level of hatred that was demonstrated on the streets of London to Britain’s Jewish community,” she said.

Tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered in central London on Saturday, as well as a small group of pro-Israeli counter-protesters.

During the march, which came a day after a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into effect in Gaza, slogans such as “stop arming Israel” and “free Palestine” could be seen.

The Metropolitan Police said it had made 14 arrests for offences including breaching Public Order Act conditions, affray and supporting a proscribed group.