Harrogate MP raises safety fears of town’s Jewish community in Parliament after recent attacks in UK
Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Tom Gordon has raised the issue of the safety of Harrogate’s Jewish community in Parliament after a wave of recent antisemitism incidents in the UK.
Following his attendance of a Passover service at Harrogate Synagogue where he discussed the issue of security with local congregants, Mr Gordon raised a question with the Minister of State for Security.
One local Jewish couple he spoke to are considering leaving the UK because they feel so unsafe.
This comes as a recent survey suggests antisemitism is causing around one in five British Jews to think about leaving.
"Every time I’ve visited the synagogue in Harrogate, we’ve had to discuss security,” said Mr Gordon.
“It is a bare basic of a liberal society that people can freely practice their religion,
"No one should feel their security is conditional because of their faith or ethnic background."
Speaking in Parliament, the Harrogate Lib Dem MP referenced recent comments by the Chief Rabbi, Sir Ephraim Mirvis that attacks on the Jewish Community were “gathering momentum”.
"We all have a collective responsibility and ability to stamp out the root causes of antisemitism and all forms of hate,” said the Harrogate and Knaresborough MP.
"I’m proud to work across the range of diverse, interfaith communities in my constituency.”
Mr Gordon’s concern follows a marked rise in antisemitism across the country including a series of attempted arson attacks and Jewish Community Ambulances being set alight in London last month.
Figures highlighted by the BBC showed Reports of antisemitism incidents in the UK rose sharply after the deadly Manchester synagogue attack last year.
In total, 42 incidents were recorded on the day of the attack and 40 the day after.
Of these 42 incidents, three involved "face-to-face taunting and celebration of the attack to Jewish people", and 39 took place online
According to Community Security Trust (CST), which provides security and monitors antisemitism in the UK, there were 3,700 anti-Jewish hate incidents recorded in 2025, up 4% from 3,556 in 2024.
Last year saw the second-highest annual total ever, second only to 2023 when there were 4,298.