UK politics - live: Michael Gove accused of ‘witch-hunt’ as he vows ‘pro-Palestinian marchers will pay’
A damning public inquiry has revealed government failings are the worst treatment disaster in NHS history
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Your support makes all the difference.Michael Gove has been accused of a ‘witch hunt’ after saying he wanted pro-Palestinian marchers to pay for the massive weekly protests.
The secretary of state for levelling up labelled pro-Palestine university encampments as ‘antisemitism repurposed for the Instagram age’ and he accused activists of hostility towards Jewish students.
In a speech on Tuesday, Mr Gove also accused organisers of not doing enough to stop some demonstrators spreading anti-Jewish messages, which he claims, included chants calling for the “annihilation of Israel”. His remarks have sparked furore among organisations supporting Palestinians in Gaza, who have been holding huge protests in London every weekend since the 7 October Hamas attacks.
His speech came ahead of the publication of the Lord Walney review into political violence, which recommended government tighten laws to ban Gaza protests taking place on certain days as well as calling for powers to help businesses claim damages from protest organisers.
But on the same day, the High Court ruled the Home Office had acted unlawfully when it implemented regulations to lower the threshold for police intervening in protests.
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Gove condemns pro-Palestine organisers
Michael Gove claims organisers deny participation of Jews in marches.
He ads the pro-Palestine marches have been a source of intimidation for the Jewish community and they haven’t been able to take part due to “antisemitic tropes”.
The communities secretary says: “It’s an ironclad law of history that countries which are descending into darkness are those which are becoming progressively more unsafe for Jewish individuals and the Jewish community, the Spain of the Inquisition, the Vienna of the 1900s, Germany in the 30s, Russia in the last decade.
“It is a parallel law that those countries in which the Jewish community has felt most safe at any time are the countries where freedom is most secure at any time.
“The Netherlands of the 17th century, Britain in the first decades of the last century, America in the second half of that century.
“So when Jewish people are under threat, all our freedoms are threatened. The safety of the Jewish community is the canary in the mine. Growing antisemitism is a fever which weakens the whole body politic.”
‘We’ve seen an explosion in antisemitism'
The levelling up secretary says there has been a skyrocketing spurge in hate against the Jewish community.
He claims there have been a recorded 4,103 incidents since the 2023.
He claims there have been svastikas and Hamas banners portrayed during the pro-Palestine marches.
Mr Gove says many protesters are “thoughtful, gentle, compassionate people”, they are “side by side with those who are promoting hate”.
Michael Gove is now speaking from London
The Conservative MP is delivering a keynote speech on rising antisemitism to the Jewish community.
He starts saying: “Since the Hamas attack, we’ve seen a shadow spread in the UK.
“There is growing evidence of a remarkable phenomenon...a questioning of the fact a blaming the victims, a campaign of hate redirected not only to the Jewish state but Jews everywhere.”
‘MPs could be prosecuted over various criminal offenses'
Although corporate manslaughter charge cannot be used, Max Hill, a former director of public prosecutions said there are other options.
He told Times Radio: “If the evidence is there, there is no bar to an investigation and a prosecution.
“Now, sadly, corporate manslaughter came into force as a criminal offence on April 6, 2008 – much too late to deal with this case.
“However, there are other criminal offences which pre-date corporate manslaughter, where individuals have a duty of care and [if] they breached that duty in a gross way – that’s a legal term – they can be held liable.
“Gross negligence manslaughter comes to my mind and also misconduct in public office.
“It’s not for me to know whether either of those are feasible in these circumstances, but the criminal law does provide answers such as this even decades after the event.”
Infected blood inquiry: ‘Lord Clarke has questions to answer’
Mel Stride claims Lord Clarke has questions to answer over the infected blood scandal.
The former health secretary is facing calls to be stripped of his peerage following the inquiry resolution he had misled the public.
The detailed blood inquiry report claims he had done so in an “indefensible” way over transfusion risks.
Mr Stride told LBC: “Sir Brian has come forward with some very strong observations of Ken, in the context of the scandal.
“Clearly there are questions that I’ve no doubt Ken will be addressing in time.”
Infected blood scandal: Mel Stride warns MPs could be taken to court
Conservative MP Mel Stride claims politicians involved in the scandal could face prosecution.
The work and pensions secretary said: “I think all of those things should and will be looked at ... I have no doubt that all of those things will be extremely carefully looked at, because in that 2,700-page report, there are many questions and many short failings that have surfaced, and they all need to be looked at very carefully.
“And it is not inconceivable that what you’ve described may be something that transpires.”
It comes as Rishi Sunak has vowed to deliver a comprehensive compensation to victims following a damning report yesterday.
We’re just a few minutes away from Michael Gove’s speech
You can follow the full event live on the link below.
In full: Gove’s extremism warning
Mr Gove is set to urge members of the House of Lords to pass the Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill.
The policy will stop businesses and organisations – including those affiliated with Israel – being targeted through ongoing boycotts by public bodies, leading to community tensions and a rise in antisemitism.
Gove’s extremism warning as antisemitism incidents rise by 147 per cent
Michael Gove is due to deliver a hard hitting speech on the rise of antisemitism in the UK on the same day a report on extremism is to be published
Michael Gove blames protest organisers for ‘anti-Jewish hate'
The leveling up secretary is just minutes away from delivering a major speech slamming pro-Palestine organisers.
Mr Gove will accuse them of not doing enough to stop the rise of antisemitism.
Condemning recent marches in London, he will also say that many protesters are “thoughtful, gentle, compassionate people”. But they walk “side by side with those who are promoting hate”.
Labour to build new generation of towns
Angela Rayner is set to deliver a speech today outlining the party’s plans to tackle the housing crisis.
Speaking from Leeds, the shadow deputy leader will promise voters the creation of new towns.
Ahead of the speech, Ms Rayner said: “Labour’s new towns are just one part of our ambitious house-building agenda which will see swathes of good quality, affordable houses built in the national interest.
“Developers who deliver on their obligations to build high quality, well designed and sustainable affordable housing, with green spaces and transport links and schools and GPs surgeries nearby, will experience a new dawn under Labour.”
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