'Words are not good enough!' Wes Streeting declares that removing 'antisemitic poison' from Britain requires 'political leadership'

Wes Streeting has declared that "words are not good enough" to remove the "antisemitic poison" from Britain, vowing that the Government will take stronger action.

Speaking to GB News, the Health Secretary appeared to take a veiled swipe at Sir Keir Starmer as he argued that such action requires "political leadership".

Reacting to the antisemitic arson attack in Golders Green on Monday, Mr Streeting expressed his concern for the Jewish community, admitting that having spent time with them following the attack, he has "not known a level of fear in Britain's Jewish community like I have seen and experienced now".

He told GB News: "It is not good enough, actually, for us to say simply, we're going to stand with the Jewish community or talk about the Jewish communities fight against antisemitism.

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"This is an obligation on all of us, and I genuinely think there are lots of people in our country who, of course, are horrified by the sight of bombed out ambulances, horrified by the sight of where antisemitism and antisemitic hatred takes people."

Issuing caution to Britons about the threat Jewish people face across the country, the Health Secretary made clear that we must "wake up to the scale of antisemitism" in our country.

Making clear that the Government is "taking action", Mr Streeting said: "The answer to this isn't just higher walls, thicker doors, more regulations, tougher laws. It is also about attacking antisemitic poison and the ideology that sits behind it, and that requires political leadership.

"It requires all of us in our country, every decent minded person, to stand up and speak up against antisemitism and make clear to our Jewish friends, as well as to the Jewish people, that the vast majority of decent minded people in this country will not be bystanders to this kind of hatred against Britain's Jews."

Pressed by host Ellie Costello on whether the Government will now move to proscribe the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Mr Streeting stated that the Government is "very clear about the threat that the IRGC poses".

He told Ellie: "This has been the consistent view of successive Governments, Conservative-led and Labour-led, when it comes to the organisations we proscribe.

"We do so on the basis of evidence and advice, including from security and intelligence services, and we make these decisions based on what we believe to be in the interests of our national security, and we do so in conjunction with allies as well.

"So I've got nothing new to say about the proscription of the IRGC today - you are right, though, about the need to reassure Jewish communities about what we will do to tackle the rise in antisemitism."

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Noting that there are "a range of factors to weigh up" in proscribing the IRGC, the Health Secretary agreed that the Jewish community is "right to challenge the Government" on taking action to protect them.

He said: "It's a challenge and viewers are right to challenge on actions, not just words, when it comes to antisemitism and hatred.

"It's one of the reasons why today there are four ambulances in Golders Green on loan to make sure that we, the Government, on behalf of the British people, provide practical support and solidarity to Jewish people."

Thanking Mr Streeting for speaking to the People's Channel, host Mark White applauded the Health Secretary for being "one of the few cabinet ministers who come on this channel and are prepared to answer questions".

Mr Streeting told GB News: "With GB News, the bark is worse than the bite. You've got an audience there, it's a growing audience and I've often found that GB News viewers are people who are interested in politics.

"That in itself is an important thing because a lot of people are just switching off. And secondly, people who are often understandably most cynical, and I just think if we don't tell you what we're doing and account to you, the viewers, no one else is going to do it for us.

"And that's why I'll continue to come on, continue to answer your questions, continue to take the feedback on the chin that we sometimes get.

"But more than anything, I just want people to know that things are moving in the right direction. There's a lot more to do, and we don't want to let you down."

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