Prime Minister Keir Starmer has told a packed House of the Commons that his government will carry forward the Holocaust Memorial Bill to “make sure every generation reaffirms our commitment to ‘Never Again’”
Speaking in the King’s Speech debate Starmer said Labour would pack up some of the important business introduced by the previous Tory government, vowing to “build that memorial next to this parliament.”
The Holocaust Memorial Bill had been one of 40 Bills or draft Bills contained in the King’s Speech, which was earlier unveiled by King Charles to both Houses of Parliament.
Communal organisations including the Board of Deputies, Holocaust Educational Trust and the Jewish Leadership Council welcomed the continued vow by Labour to build a memorial and learning centre in the controversial Victoria Tower Gardens location.
HET’s Karen Pollock said: “We are very grateful to the Government for re-introducing the Holocaust Memorial Bill. With the Holocaust fading further into history and survivors becoming fewer and frailer, the need for progress on building the memorial and learning centre next to Parliament has never been more urgent.
Speaking prior to Starmer, Leader of the Opposition Rishi Sunak also spoke of the “impressive consensus” across the house on foreign policy. He welcomed foreign secretary David Lammy’s visit to the Middle East earlier this week and added that it was important “our friend and ally Israel” has the right to “defend itself and live in peace.”
Starmer also said the “fight for trust is the battle that defines our political era”. He promised to govern in the “national interest” with a commitment to country rather than party first.
