UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has confirmed that legislation to proscribe the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) will be introduced in the next session of Parliament, set to begin in July 2026, amid growing security concerns linked to Iran-backed activity in the UK.
Speaking during a solidarity visit to Kenton United Synagogue in north-west London, Starmer told the Jewish Chronicle that the Government would bring forward the necessary legislation “as soon as we can” and “in a few weeks’ time” once Parliament returns.
The visit came days after the synagogue was targeted in an attempted firebombing, an attack widely suspected to be linked to actors associated with the Iranian military apparatus. A bottle containing accelerant was thrown through a window into a medical room. No injuries were reported, but the incident has heightened concerns within the Jewish community.
An Iran-linked group calling itself Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia (HAYI) claimed responsibility, though UK authorities are continuing to investigate the extent of any direct operational connection.
Starmer visited the site alongside the Chief Rabbi, Sir Ephraim Mirvis, where he inspected the damage and held discussions with congregants and community leaders.
Describing his visit as an “expression of support”, Starmer said he wanted to hear “firsthand from those affected the deep anxiety they have about these attacks”.
He said he was “very worried” about the use of proxy groups by the Iranian state and confirmed that proscription of the IRGC would require new legislation, which the Government intends to bring forward early in the new parliamentary session.
“In relation to malign state actors more generally, proscription, we do need legislation in order to take necessary measures,” he said. “That is legislation that we’re bringing forward as soon as we can.”
Addressing wider concerns about antisemitism and Jewish emigration to Israel reaching a 40-year high, Starmer said he was determined to ensure Britain remained a safe place for Jewish life.
“I want to make Britain a country where our Jewish community feels safe, as they have done for a very long time, and into the future,” he said. “The fight against antisemitism is a fight for all of us, a fight for Britain.”
He added that British society should ensure “everyone practises their religion in safety and security without intimidation, harassment, and without these awful attacks”.
Commenting on the attack, Starmer highlighted the importance of close cooperation between counter-terrorism policing, community security bodies, and Jewish organisations such as the Community Security Trust (CST).
“Obviously there’s been a claim here by an Iranian-backed group,” he said. “That’s why it’s very important that our police and counter-terrorism police work very closely with the community so we can take the necessary criminal justice action.”
He noted that several arrests had already been made in related investigations, including charges and one conviction.
During the visit, the Chief Rabbi described the atmosphere among congregants as marked by “two words: anxiety and resilience”.
The Jewish community, he said, is experiencing “deep concerns and enormous anxiety for their personal safety, for their families, for this synagogue building, for our community and for Jews in the UK”.
At the same time, he emphasised resilience: “We are a strong community. We respond with fortitude and great resilience.”
Rabbi Yehuda Black, who has led the synagogue for 22 years, told the Prime Minister that the attack had not succeeded in intimidating worshippers.
“Whoever the perpetrators are – they failed,” he said, noting that community gatherings had continued since the incident without disruption.
However, synagogue leadership also raised concerns about rising security costs. United Synagogue representatives told the Prime Minister that protecting communal sites now costs around £1 million annually, a burden they argued should not fall on charitable organisations.
“This eye-watering amount of money could be spent on programming and engagement,” said US executive Saul Taylor, “but instead is spent on guards and CCTV systems.”
