Gregory Stafford, MP for Farnham and Bordon and former treasurer of the Oxford Union, has called on Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson to address allegations of antisemitism following a

contentious debate at the prestigious club. The debate, held on November 28, centered on the motion: “This house believes Israel is an apartheid state responsible for genocide,” which passed with 278 votes in favor and 59 against.

Stafford expressed concern over what he described as “a mess of antisemitism” that unfolded during the debate, alleging intimidation and bias against the four pro-Israel speakers, two of whom were not Jewish. The event also saw some participants stating they would not have reported Hamas’s plans even if aware of them before the October 7 attacks.

In Wednesday’s Commons session, Stafford urged the Education Secretary to write to the Oxford Union, emphasizing that antisemitism has no place in society, particularly within universities. He noted that one of the speakers, controversial anti-Zionist Miko Peled, had reportedly referred to the October 7 attacks as “heroism,” a statement greeted with cheers by many attendees. Jewish participants called for police involvement, citing Peled’s comments as support for a proscribed terror organization.

Responding on behalf of the government, Equalities Minister Anneliese Dodds reaffirmed the government’s commitment to combating antisemitism, stating: “There is no place for antisemitism in our society—whether within educational settings or any other part of society.”

The incident has prompted widespread criticism, highlighting the ongoing challenges in addressing antisemitism within academic and public discourse. Photo by Laurie Noble, Wikimedia commons.