News
Don't write empty gestures in Book of Commitment, Holocaust Educational Trust tells MPs
It urges parliamentarians to sign the book ahead of Holocaust Memorial Day with 'sincerity and truth'
January 14, 2020 12:35
It urges parliamentarians to sign the book ahead of Holocaust Memorial Day with 'sincerity and truth'
January 14, 2020 12:35MPs have been asked to avoid “tokenism and empty gestures” and instead contribute words of “in sincerity and truth” when signing a Book of Commitment to mark Holocaust Memorial Day 2020.
Ahead of the commorations to mark the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, the Holocaust Educational Trust (HET) emailed parliamentarians to say: "It is likely to be the last time we have our brilliant and brave survivors with us to mark such a significant anniversary."
Last year, then-Labour MP Chris Williamson sparked anger after he tweeted images of himself signing the book, despite being branded a “Jew-baiter” by communal leaders.
Jewish Leadership Council chair Jonathan Goldstein later wrote to Mr Williamson to register the community's “disgust” at him signing it publicly.
The Book of Commitment is open for MPs to sign on four different occasions between the Member’s Cloakroom and Member’s Staircase in the House of Commons from Monday, January 20.
Reflecting on the past 12 months, HET’s message added: “We cannot ignore the difficult year we leave behind us, where we faced adversity and sometimes felt abandoned by some we thought we could count on.
“So, as we come together to mark the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau this year, we ask for both your words and your actions. We are not interested in tokenism and empty gestures but in sincerity and truth."
HET’s message continued: “So, we invite you to sign the Book this year, but as we reflect on the past year which was not without its challenges, we would like to remind you that antisemitism is on the rise again.
"Online, on our streets, on our football terraces and sadly in our politics.
"The fact is that we have witnessed with fear and increasing anxiety the growing and expanding poison of antisemitism permeating the mainstream here in the UK, moving from its previous home in the radical fringes of society.”
Traditionally, MPs have written meaningful words pledging their commitment to remember the Holocaust and fight racism and prejudice.
Last year, HET chief executive Karen Pollock was among those to criticise Mr Williamson, who later quit Labour over being suspended and failed to be re-elected as an independent.
Ms Pollock said: “Whilst we want all Members to pledge to remember the Holocaust; with antisemitism on the rise, denial and deliberate distortion of the Holocaust seemingly becoming more mainstream, an MP’s signature means nothing without tangible action.
"Words in a book are not enough.
“For those MPs who consort with Holocaust deniers, say antisemitism is a smear and deny the lived experiences of Jewish people, their motivations for signing can and should be questioned.”
