By Gary Sambrook, former MP for Birmingham Northfield
Imagine: 3,528 antisemitic incidents across the UK. It’s unthinkable that this still happens on such a scale. It is, thankfully, down a bit from 2023’s jaw-dropping 4,103, but still way too high following the Hamas attack on Israel in October that year. What’s really getting under my skin is what’s happening in our universities – places meant for learning and free debate, not this.
CST’s Campus Antisemitic Incidents Report from December 2024 spelled it out: university-related incidents jumped 117% over two years – 53 in 2022/23 to 272 in 2023/24. The new report says there were 96 cases in the first half of 2024 alone, up 465% from 17 the year before. Most of it is linked to Middle East rows, with Jewish students and staff catching flak online or face-to-face on campus. Horrifying.
Universities have a job to do: look after every student, no matter who they are, and keep free speech going strong. But when anti-Jewish hate gets dressed up as “anti-Zionism,” it’s an attempt at deflection. It needs sorting: enforce the IHRA definition, train staff to spot this stuff and quit dragging their feet when it’s reported. CST says too many responses are limp or late. And that’s not good enough.
Jewish students shouldn’t be dodging threats instead of hitting the books. Uni bosses need to team up with CST and the Union of Jewish Students, set some proper rules and support those affected. No more excuses. If they don’t fix this, they’re failing not just students of today but society as a whole. Campuses should be safe, open and fair. Let’s get it done.
