British education secretary Gavin Williamson has threatened universities with funding cuts if they refuse to adopt an internationally agreed definition of antisemitism.
Williamson has written to university vice-chancellors, saying that he is shocked and disappointed that so few universities had recognised the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s description of antisemitism.
Williamson added that there were too many antisemitic incidents on campus and that it was seen in some university communities as less offensive than other forms of racism.
“The repugnant belief that antisemitism is somehow a less serious or more acceptable form of racism has taken insidious hold in some parts of British society, and I am quite clear that universities must play their part in rooting out this attitude and demonstrating that antisemitism is abhorrent,” Williamson said.
“There remain too many disturbing incidents of antisemitism on campus, from both students and staff, and a lack of willingness by too many universities to confront this,” he added.
Universities have until Christmas to sign up to the definition or face action from the Office for Students, the independent regulator of higher education in England.
“If I have not seen the overwhelming majority of institutions adopting the definition by Christmas then I will act,” Williamson wrote.
A recent survey by the Union of Jewish Students (UJS) found that only 29 of Britain’s 133 universities had adopted the IHRA definition, which says that the demonisation of Israel is a “racist endeavour”.
The move came after the UJS made a freedom of information request, which showed that 80 UK universities out of 133 had no current plans to adopt the IHRA definition. To date, only 29 have done so. Both Oxford and Cambridge are among the universities that have refused.
Some universities cited academic freedom of speech as a reason not to use it, while others said there was no need for a specific definition to be adopted in university policy.
Anti-semitic incidents on university campuses rose by 38 percent year-on-year in the first half of 2020, according to an analysis by the Community Security Trust.
Speaking at the end of September, Robert Halfon, the chair of the Education Select Committee, said the failure of universities to adopt the definition was “shocking”.
“Yet again, antisemitism is swept under the carpet by some of our major HE institutions in our country,” he said.
“It seems strange that they are prepared to virtue signal on so many PC issues but when it comes to Jewish people, they are just ignored. The Minister must make it absolutely clear that this guidance is adopted - no excuse or delay", added Halfon.
The IHRA definition of anti-Semitism, also known as the “working definition” has been adopted by a number of governments and NGOs.
It states: “Anti-Semitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews”.
“Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”
The definition then lists eleven examples of anti-Semitism, including the repetition of a “myth about a world Jewish conspiracy or of Jews controlling the media, economy, government or other societal institutions”.
Earlier this year, the communities secretary Robert Jenrick threatened to withhold public funds from councils that refused to accept the official definition of antisemitism.
Sheffield City Council passed a motion in July 2019 formally recognising Palestine as a full state - although in October the council also adopted the IHRA antisemitism definition.
Jenrick recently claimed that he has been given protection from counter terrorism police after receiving death threats and antisemitic hate mail over his involvement in a proposed Westminster Holocaust Memorial.
