'Can't come soon enough!' Keir Starmer urged to proscribe IRGC amid fresh antisemitism crackdown

Richard Holden has warned Sir Keir Starmer proscribing theIslamic Revolutionary Guard Corps "can't come soon enough" amid Labour's fresh crackdown on antisemitism.

Speaking to GB News, the Shadow Transport Secretary criticised the "inaction" of the Government in protecting Britain's Jewish community, arguing action could have been taken "18 months ago".

Under new Labour law, Iranian proxies which are behind antisemitic attacks on British soil could face up 14 years in prison.

The legislation, set to be announced in the King's Speech next week, will grant Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood the ability to designate proxy groups as a foreign intelligence service, even if they are not aware of what foreign country they are working for.

Delivering his verdict on the legislation, Mr Holden told GB News although the crackdown is "welcome", the country is facing a "disgraceful situation" when it comes to antisemitic attacks.

He said: "I think anything which cracks down on the Iranian regime is welcome, but let's not forget that there's been a lot of inaction by Government over the last 18 months or so, particularly when it comes to these hate marches, which I think we can now say have seen direct results for the Jewish community right across the country.

"We've seen people killed in synagogues up in Manchester, we've people seen people stabbed in the street in London, we've seen businesses attacked up and down the country, simply because people are Jewish."

Recalling conversations with his Jewish friends, Mr Holden stressed they have "never felt anything like" what is happening in the UK right now.

He stressed: "I've got spoken to a lot of Jewish friends who said to me they've never felt like this.

"Even my older friends who have existed all the way through the National Front in the in the 60s, they are saying that today they feel more fear than at any point in their entire lives being here in the UK. That's a disgraceful situation."

Questioned by host Ellie Costello on whether the Labour Government should proscribe the IRGC, Mr Holden made clear that the move "cannot come soon enough".

He told GB News: "I think what we've seen over the last few months and in fact a couple of years really is the Iranian regime moving to an increasingly extreme anti-Israel position, even more extreme than it's been previously.

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"We saw that a few years ago now with those horrific Hamas terror attacks, so I think that has changed the dial on what we actually need to do here and we need to take it from from that position."

He continued: "Basically, we are now seeing a regime that wants to wipe another country, killing all of its people right off the face of the earth, and I think we need to address everything and start with that as our basic building block, which is why proscription can't come soon enough."

Pressed by host Alex Armstrong on how the Conservatives would help tackle antisemitism, particularly on university campuses, Mr Holden assured the Tories would not "tiptoe around the issue" like Labour has.

The Tory MP said: "I think we've got to absolutely tackle these issues head on, and we're not going to be scared about it as well. I think too often, particularly the Government I fear is sometimes too keen to try and tiptoe around this issue for political reasons.

"I think that's what we have seen from the Labour Party over the last 18 months or so. Keir Starmer coming out a day before the local elections saying he's going to get tough, he could have done this over the last 18 months."

Mr Holden concluded: "We've been calling for more action for a much longer period of time. We've been standing behind our Jewish community.

"I think a lot of people will see his actions over the last couple of days transparently for what they are, although obviously they are welcome.

"I think we need to be very clear that we stand with Britain's Jewish community, and we want to see them protected, not marginalised and sidelined for political reasons."

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