Sir Keir Starmersaid attempts by Iran to destabilise British society “will not be tolerated” amid suspicion Tehran could be stirring upantisemitism.
The prime minister told a roundtable in Downing Street that the government was investigating whether foreign states could be behind recentattacks on the Jewish communityin the UK.
Speaking to leaders of community groups, senior government ministers and police chiefs following a knife attack in Golders Green last week, Sir Keir warned there would be “consequences” if Iran was found to be responsible.
“One of the lines of inquiry is whether a foreign state has been behind some of these incidents,” he said.
“We are investigating, of course, all the possibilities. And we are clear that these actions will have consequences if that proves to be the case.
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“Our message to Iran, or to any other country that might seek to foment violence, hatred or division in society, is that it will not be tolerated.”
Describing the situation as a “crisis” in the wake of the attack in north London last week, Sir Keir said new legislation would be rushed through to tackle “malign threats”.
He told the meeting that although essential, security is “not enough”, as he vowed to “deal with the forces that drive this hatred in the first place”.
“We’re clear-eyed about the fact that antisemitism does not have one source alone: Islamists, far left, far right extremism, all target Jewish communities,” he said.
“That is why this government has put in place the first co-ordinated national plan to strengthen cohesion and confront extremism in all of its forms.”
More follows on this breaking news story...