A prominent supporter of the proposed Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre in Westminster has forecasted that the long-awaited project will be completed by 2027.

Lord Eric Pickles, co-chair of the advisory board managing the memorial’s development, revealed to the esteemed American publication The New Yorker that although work had stalled due to legislative processes in Parliament, he remains optimistic that revised planning measures will enable the project to proceed.

Pickles highlighted the presence of a misinformation campaign surrounding the memorial’s potential impact, stating, “We are subject to either people thinking we’re going to go super-woke, or they think we are going to go imperial, triumphant.” He firmly added, “And we are not. We are not going to do either.”

Broader support and concerns

Daniel Finkelstein, a Conservative peer and commentator, also voiced his support for establishing a prominent national monument near the Palace of Westminster. He emphasized the necessity of educating future generations about the atrocities of the Holocaust, asserting that the only alternative to building the memorial would be to do “nothing.”

However, Finkelstein acknowledged that the project lacks unanimous backing from the Jewish community, noting that disagreements are common in matters of significant public interest.

In an article titled Why Is It So Hard to Build a Holocaust Memorial in London?, Baroness Ruth Deech expressed her strong disapproval of the initiative. She remarked pointedly, “Everybody loves dead Jews, the living not so much. I think that sums it up.”

Louise Hyams, a Conservative councillor for Westminster, recounted how the local planning committee had unanimously rejected the memorial, citing its scale and imposing design as reasons for concern. “It did not really, I think, convey the message that a Holocaust memorial should,” she remarked.

Delays and challenges

The article underscored how, by 2026, a decade will have passed since former Prime Minister David Cameron announced plans for the memorial to be constructed in Victoria Tower Gardens, near the Houses of Parliament. Despite the initial enthusiasm, the project has encountered numerous obstacles, including delays, legal disputes, escalating costs, and complex debates in which even some Holocaust survivors have expressed reservations.

When asked about a potential timeline for completion, Lord Pickles suggested that 2027 was the most realistic target for the memorial’s inauguration. Photo by jewishnews.co.uk