Pittsburgh: Synagogue Attack

Lord Winston Excerpts

Monday 29th October 2018 Lords Chamber

[Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth]

My Lords, I do so unreservedly. These issues must not be conflated in the way that the noble Baroness sought to conflate them.

[Lord Winston (Lab)]

My Lords, I have four grandchildren, who had to go to school this morning—to two Jewish schools—with a guard. The youngest is four, the next is six, one is seven and one eight; this is a close issue for me. I am grateful to the Government for the Statement that the Minister has made today. I think the Jewish community will be very pleased. Does the Minister not agree, however, that the real issue is hate speech and not guns?

[Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth]

My Lords, the noble Lord is absolutely right: hate speech is at the root of this. He will be aware that we have just refreshed the hate crime action plan for the next two years. We are determined to take whatever action is necessary, whether it is hate crime expressed orally, online, or, as I indicated to the noble Lord, Lord Palmer, on social media. The noble Lord is absolutely right: it is central to our efforts to combat anti-Semitism and other forms of hatred.