Antisemitic Attacks

Damien Egan Excerpts

Monday 20th April 2026 Commons Chamber

[Dan Jarvis]

I am grateful to the right hon. Lady for the work she does with her Select Committee, and she is right in the point she makes about the root causes. The Government have to ensure that not only are we tackling the root causes, but we have appropriate security and defence mechanisms in place. She will understand the rigour with which Jonathan Hall conducts his work on behalf of the Government. He is somebody with great credibility and experience in this field. It was his view that we do not currently have the appropriate legislative mechanism in order to properly proscribe a state entity, but, as I said to my hon. Friend the Member for Hampstead and Highgate (Tulip Siddiq) a moment ago, that will not stop this Government ensuring that we have all the measures in place. We have made a commitment to bring forward that legislative tool, and that is what we will do.

[Damien Egan (Bristol North East) (Lab)]

Ministers will be aware that the charity sector is being exploited by extremists, with record amounts of money being pumped into British-based organisations with charitable status by our adversaries and hostile states. While these extremists often target Britain’s Jews, the threats go far beyond them—they do not stop with the Jewish community. Will the Minister give us an assurance that the Charity Commission will be granted updated robust powers in the next legislative Session so that it can tackle these growing threats?

[Dan Jarvis]

My hon. Friend makes a really important point, which emphasises the fact that the levers that we have in government do not sit within a single Department, and that is why we have to ensure that we have a co-ordinated response. On the point about charities specifically, the Government have announced plans to strengthen the Charity Commission’s powers to close down charities that promote extremism. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is working with the Charity Commission to speed up the process of investigating charities suspected of engaging in extremist behaviour, including strengthening its powers to close them down if needed. I can also say that the Department for Culture, Media and Sport will soon be consulting on plans to automatically ban individuals with a criminal conviction for hate crime from serving as charity trustees or senior managers and will consult on plans to strengthen the commission’s powers to disqualify individuals where there is evidence that they have promoted violence or hatred. This is important work, and we need to progress it at pace.

Oral Answers to Questions

Damien Egan Excerpts

Wednesday 19th November 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

These are utterly appalling scenes. As the right hon. Gentleman knows, a criminal investigation is under way and specialist officers are tracking down those responsible. The Environment Agency will use all available powers to ensure that the perpetrators cover the cost of the clean-up that must now follow. We have boosted the agency’s budget for tackling waste crime by 50% and given councils new powers to seize and crush fly-tippers’ vehicles, and lawbreakers can now face up to five years in jail.

[Damien Egan (Bristol North East) (Lab)]

Q8. Immigration is the No. 1 issue on the doorsteps of Bristol North East: most people will ask me about it. They want a firm but also fair approach, but they have been let down over many years. Controlling our borders and knowing who comes here is essential, not least to integration. What can the Prime Minister say to my constituents that will give them an assurance that the reforms that he and the Home Secretary are proposing—which I support—will be firm, but also fair?

[The Prime Minister]

I am proud to lead an open, tolerant, generous country. To maintain that principle, we must restore order and control, fix the utterly broken system left by the Conservatives, and end the division that others seek to exploit. That includes creating safe and legal routes and recognising those who contribute, integrate and strengthen our society, while at the same time reducing the number of illegal arrivals and removing those with no right to be here. That is a fair, progressive system which meets modern challenges.

Oral Answers to Questions

Damien Egan Excerpts

Wednesday 2nd April 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

In relation to the beginning of the right hon. Gentleman’s comments, I really do not think it is sensible to say that the first response should be to jump into a trade war with the US. That cannot be the first response of the United Kingdom, and I will resist his urgings to do that.

In relation to water, the right hon. Gentleman is absolutely right to point out the Conservative party’s appalling record on water, just like its record on everything. That is why I am pleased that we have already passed the Water (Special Measures) Act 2025 to take the necessary measures, but we will go further.

[Damien Egan (Bristol North East) (Lab)]

Q4. Yesterday, the Work and Pensions Committee visited Manchester, where we saw the power of devolution in action, in this case helping people to find work. With just 5 percentage points separating Labour and Conservative candidates at the last mayoral election, does the Prime Minister agree that to get the maximum advantage from Labour’s devolution offer, the west of England needs an ambitious Labour mayor in Helen Godwin, for more jobs, to fix our buses and to get the homes we need built?

[The Prime Minister]

I believe it is best for communities when their leaders have skin in the game. Helen Godwin grew up in Stapleton, went to college in Filton and has a great record fighting for the community where she is raising her family. Our plan for change has delivered record funding for the west of England: more money for better buses, potholes and getting young people into work. That is the difference a Labour mayor working with a Labour Government delivers for the west of England.