The UK Government strongly condemns anti-Semitic incidents and understands the fears and concerns of the Jewish community. British Jews, like all communities, must be able to live their lives free from fear of verbal or physical attack. The Government has a shared responsibility to tackle anti-Semitism and all other forms of racism and prejudice not only with those communities directly affected, but with all members of society.

The London Conference on Combating Anti-Semitism

On 15-17 February 2009, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and the Inter-parliamentary Coalition for Combating Antisemitism (ICCA) co-hosted the London Conference on Combating Anti-Semitism - an international summit conference designed to formulate new strategies for countering global anti-Semitism. The conference, co-sponsored by the Department of Communities and Local Government, brought together more than 100 lawmakers from 35 countries to work intensively with leading academics, legal experts and specialists in the field to devise ways by which parliamentary systems can work with governments to combat anti-Semitism as a global threat.

The conference culminated in the signing of the London Declaration on Combating Anti-Semitism which calls on national governments, parliaments, international institutions, political and civic leaders and civil society to "affirm democratic and human values, build societies based on respect and citizenship and combat any manifestations of anti-Semitism and discrimination."  Click here to read more about the conference.

Tackling all forms of hate crime

Britain is committed to tackling all forms of hate crime and racial intolerance, including anti-Semitism, wherever they exist. We believe that the best way to do this is through the effective implementation of strong legislation against racial and religious discrimination and racially and religiously motivated crime, underpinned by policies and strategies to increase racial equality and community cohesion.

We have one of the strongest legal frameworks in the world for protecting people from discrimination or persecution on the basis of race or faith and this has been significantly tightened in recent years.

The Government has a strong record in combating hate crime, including anti-Semitism. We believe that racism and prejudice can have catastrophic consequences and there are still important lessons to be learnt. The Government has used a combination of measures to reinforce this message including having a strong legal framework, robust policies by the police and the Crown Prosecution Services (CPS) and tackling extremism.

Education in our schools, encouraging inter-communal and inter-faith dialogue and the annual commemoration of Holocaust Memorial Day, also play a key role. The Government continues to work with the Jewish community to address the issue of anti-Semitism.

Please use the links below to find out more about the UK's efforts to combat anti-Semitism.

• The Parliamentary Committee against Anti-Semitism
• Document: The London Declaration on Combating Anti-Semitism (17 February 2009)
• Press release: Foreign Office co-hosts international summit on anti-Semitism (17 February 2009) 
• Press release: Foreign Secretary sends message of support to London Conference on Combating Anti-Semitism (16 February 2009)
• Speech: Minister Jim Murphy MP's inaugural lecture at the European Institute for the Study of Contemporary anti-Semitism (14 July 2008)
• Press release: Foreign Office to co-host inaugural conference for the Inter-Parliamentary Commission for Combating Anti-Semitism (11 June 2008)
• Op-ed: The need to truly understand 'never again', by Minister Jim Murphy, MP (22 May 2008)
• Op-ed: 'British Jews are free from fear,' by Ambassador Tom Phillips (3 April 2008)
• Report (PDF file): Year-on progress report on government response to All-Party Inquiry into anti-Semitism (12 May 2008)
• Press release: Government outlines action to stamp out antisemitism (29 March 2007)