Golders Green Ambulance Attack

Baroness Berger Excerpts

Thursday 26th March 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Hanson of Flint (Lab)]

The Government have taken very strong action and recently published Protecting What Matters. That will include, for example, specialist disruption units to detect, expose and counter extremist influence across the UK. We are looking at giving state threats designation powers, which is another form of proscription, in relation to a range of bodies. We are also increasing efforts to stop hate preachers and extremists both entering the UK and using platforms outside the UK to influence activity as a whole. The noble Lord knows that we keep the IRGC proscription under review, but that also does not mean that we do not take sanctions against the Iranian regime and very strong measures generally. But the review is ongoing, and we will never trail any proscription that we finally undertake.

[Baroness Berger (Lab)]

My Lords—

[Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee (Non-Afl)]

My Lords—

--- Later in debate ---

[Lord Hanson of Flint (Lab)]

We should never glorify terrorism. I know that we have had debate on this in the Crime and Policing Bill, and we are still reflecting on points that the noble Baroness has mentioned. It is important that the Government and every individual citizen make a stand against antisemitism and extremism. We will do that, and I hope that I will have the support of the House in trying to devise policies to put that into practice.

[Baroness Berger (Lab)]

My Lords, we know from our security services that they have so far foiled at least 20 Iranian-backed, potentially lethal plots against the Jewish community on British soil in recent years. On Monday, Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia claimed responsibility online for the attack on the Hatzola ambulances, the veracity of which I know is under investigation. Can my noble friend the Minister say what assessment the Government have made of the extent, nature and severity of the Iranian threat against the British Jewish community?

[Lord Hanson of Flint (Lab)]

We recognise that the Iranian state is a malign influence, and we have taken steps to sanction individuals and prevent them entering the United Kingdom, and, as I said to the noble Lord, Lord Davies of Gower, we keep the issue of proscription under review at all times. We have also given £28 million to the Jewish community to help protect synagogues and schools, and we will keep that under review. In addition, as my noble friend mentioned, the security services are active, day in, day out, in order to take intelligence-led action against potential plots against the Jewish community, and indeed in other areas of our society. This is an existential threat and the Government will take action when it is needed. However, we keep the issue of proscription under review as to whether that is an effective way of supporting our security services in achieving the objectives that we all want, which are that people from the Jewish community—to go back to the supplementary question from the noble Lord, Lord Polak—have a right to enjoy their religion and their community and to live safely in the United Kingdom like anybody else.