A report published in the UK paints a troubling picture of the spread of antisemitism across the country—particularly among the middle class.
The document, co-authored by Lord John Mann, the UK government's adviser on antisemitism, and former Conservative Defense Secretary Penny Mordaunt, was commissioned at the initiative of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, the main representative body of the Jewish community in Britain.
The report highlights the proliferation of antisemitic attitudes across a range of sectors—from the National Health Service (NHS), to academia and cultural institutions. One of the key findings is that many Jews increasingly feel excluded, especially in professional and public arenas, where they no longer feel the same level of respect or inclusion as in the past.
Both authors of the report, who are not Jewish and represent opposing sides of the political spectrum, expressed shock at the extent of the findings, which emerged from six months of research.
"The deeper we dug, the more we uncovered a truly frightening phenomenon—extremist views being normalized against people simply because they are Jewish," they said in an interview with The Telegraph. "If Britain's Jewish community is experiencing discrimination, it is evidence of a profound failure within British society itself."
According to Mann and Mordaunt, antisemitism in the UK sharply escalated following Hamas' October 7 terror attack. The report notes that many Jews in Britain now "find themselves perceived as responsible for the policies of the Israeli government, making them targets during pro-Palestinian demonstrations."
The report also underscores inconsistent law enforcement when it comes to hate crimes against Jews, particularly during pro-Palestinian protests. It argues that one of the central problems is the failure to recognize antisemitism as a form of racism, leading to insufficiently firm responses.
Among the recommendations to be presented to the government in the coming days are: recognizing Jews as a protected ethnic group, implementing law enforcement reforms concerning antisemitic crimes, and developing a program to train employers in identifying and addressing antisemitism in the workplace.
