Holocaust Memorial Day Statement
On Holocaust Memorial Day, we remember the six million Jewish men, women and children murdered in the Holocaust, and the millions of others killed under Nazi persecution. We honour the survivors and their testimony, and we renew our commitment to building a country where Jewish people - indeed, all people - can live, worship and gather in safety.
For so many of Britain’s Jews, today is deeply personal - a day of grief, remembrance and resilience.
We are proud of the role Britain played in standing against Nazism and helping to bring an end to the Holocaust. That legacy brings with it a responsibility to remember the past honestly and to ensure that the warning signs of hatred and dehumanisation are never ignored again.
Sadly, this year, Holocaust Memorial Day comes at a time when antisemitism continues to be on the rise. Jewish people in the UK are facing unacceptable levels of hatred and violence. Synagogues and community centres require security simply to function day to day. Jewish communities have suffered horrifying attacks, both here and abroad, that have left them grieving and shaken.
Today, our thoughts are also with the families and loved ones of all those who lost their lives in these senseless and devastating acts of violence. Jewish communities should not have to endure this before the seriousness of the threat they face today is fully recognised and acted upon.
Holocaust Memorial Day is also about responsibility. It asks each of us what we will do to confront prejudice when we see it, to speak out when hatred is excused, and to stand alongside those who are targeted, so that one of the greatest horrors in history is never repeated.
Today, the Liberal Democrats stand unequivocally with Jewish communities of the past and the present. Antisemitism has no place in our country or abroad. We will continue to do everything in our power to ensure Jewish people can live openly, practise their faith freely, and participate fully in society without fear. Put simply, we will continue to work for a society that has learned the lessons of history.
