The government will “expect more” from cultural venues and spaces, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said, with funders expected to “suspend, withdraw and claw back funding” from any organisations promoting or platforming antisemitism.
In a speech about plans to tackle rising antisemitism, Starmer said each sector must “reflect on what form antisemitism takes” and what they are “currently doing to stamp it out”.
At a Downing Street summit today (5 May), members of the Jewish community, senior ministers and sector leaders discussed how to combat prejudice and hatred, and what measures the government is taking.
Guests included university vice-chancellors, Arts Council England (ACE), cultural leaders, NHS bosses and trade unions.
The summit follows a recent attack on two Jewish men in Golders Green, and a spate of incidents targeting London synagogues and other Jewish sites.
Starmer said: “Where public funding is being used to promote or platform antisemitism, the Arts Council must act, using its powers to suspend, withdraw and claw back funding.”
He said the government is mandating an independent audit, as of today, into how allegations of antisemitism are handled in the sector.
“This will be a hard-edge review of where systems are failing and where they need to be strengthened. We will not and cannot accept complacency, delays or weak enforcement. And where complacency is found, it will be challenged and addressed swiftly.”
He also said “a quieter, but no less serious harm” would be addressed, in the form of rising security costs “forcing Jewish artists and organisations out of public life”.
“That is exclusion and it is unacceptable. We will ensure that the Arts Council and the Home Office funding can be used to cover protective security costs so that participation is not determined by fear,” he said.
“There is of course more work to do, and we won’t stop playing our part. But this is not a task the government can do alone – every part of society has a responsibility to respond with determination and force, because there are too many people who don’t see antisemitism for what it is – an anti-Jewish hatred, racism, pure and simple.”
He announced an extra £1.5 million in funding to strengthen community cohesion and protect Jewish residents in areas where they face the greatest risk, saying: “It is not enough to simply say we stand with Jewish communities”.
‘Act with urgency’
The Prime Minister said all sectors would be expected to investigate how antisemitism “may be allowed to fester and spread” and called on leaders to “act with urgency”.
He asked sector leaders to commit to the “tangible action that Jewish people in this country need to feel safe again”.
The government will expect universities to “demonstrate action” when antisemitic abuse takes place, and to publish the “scale of the problem of their campuses”, alongside specific steps they have taken to clamp down on it.
He said independent reviews had been commissioned into antisemitism in education and the health services, and “several million pounds” would be invested into schools, colleges and universities to tackle the issue.
Chief executive of ACE Darren Henley said: “Antisemitism is abhorrent and there is no place for it in Arts Council funded organisations.
“The new independent audit announced today is valuable at this time, and we welcome any intervention that helps ensure our processes are robust and effective in addressing complaints about antisemitism.
“We expect all organisations we fund to uphold freedom of expression, to support Jewish artists to work without fear, and to ensure Jewish audiences feel safe in cultural spaces.”
‘Taking action’
Last week, Henley responded to the antisemitic terrorist attack in Golders Green, saying it was “deeply shocking and distressing”.
He said: “At Arts Council England, we are here to invest in and celebrate every place and all communities across England. Today, we reiterate and reinforce our commitment to backing the talent and ambition of Jewish artists and creative professionals across the arts, museums and libraries, and to ensuring Jewish audience members and participants continue to engage with and enjoy art and culture in the places where they live.”
He said the arm’s length body was “taking action” to address the growing problem, including speaking to representatives of the Jewish community and working with the Antisemitism Policy Trust to “explore developing tailored training and guidance”.
A recent report found Jewish artists are experiencing a wave of boycotts, with exclusion in some cases triggered by “their identity” rather than anything they have said or done.
Several artists who took part in the report’s survey warned of a “sharp escalation” in antisemitic content within their professional circles since the war in Gaza began.
