Exclusive: ‘We can’t ignore antisemitism on the Left,’ admits Business Secretary

The Business Secretary has told the JC that he is “hugely concerned” about antisemitism in the UK and says it is impossible to ignore antisemitism on the left of politics. Jonathan Reynolds acknowledged that British Jews wanted “more than words of sympathy” when it came to actions aimed at tackling antisemitism, blasted critics of the Bell Review into antisemitism in education, and praised the positive impact Manchester’s Jewish community had on him personally.

Speaking to the JC during Lord Mann’s Lancaster House summit on combating antisemitism and strengthening Jewish life in Britain, the Business Secretary said it was important for him to be present and that he found the testimonies of people’s experiences to be “harrowing”. EXCLUSIVE: Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds tells the JC about antisemitism in the workplace, defends the Bell review and addresses antisemitism on the Left. 🔗 Full story on our site pic.twitter.com/L9XG9WqK14 — The Jewish Chronicle (@JewishChron) October 30, 2026 But, Reynolds said, it was important for him to show that he understood that the Jewish community was tired of thoughts, prayers and sympathy.

“They want action”, he said. One action he praised was the Board of Deputies’ new guide to Jews and Judaism for employers, aimed at providing companies, HR professionals and business leaders with practical guidance on supporting Jewish employees and creating inclusive workplaces, which he described as a “really important” resource. “I am told at times in conferences by business leaders that they recognise and want to do something; they want to be part of a positive solution,” he said.

“But they sometimes, to be frank, have concerns, particularly about how discussion might move into the Middle East, and they're not quite sure how to handle that. “And I think let's just confront that. Let's just work with people and use the incredible expertise that exists, that is there, to help people through that. I want to be a part of helping to promote that.” But are some “anti-racist” structures fit to tackle antisemitism? Pressed on the issue of equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) training and cases in which Jews have been portrayed as “privileged” and less deserving of empathy than other racial or religious minorities facing discrimination, Reynolds said that such arguments were “absurd in practice”.

“I think there are a few things that contribute to that,” specifically citing “the online space [that] has propagated a whole range of, actually, very old-fashioned antisemitic conspiracy theories" in the form of memes and other viral content. “I think that is maybe a little bit unusual compared to some of the other discriminations that we are tackling”, he continued, adding that he also saw how antisemitism emerged in discussions about the Middle East.

Reynolds did acknowledge that “there are some specific things leading to antisemitism that there is not quite a parallel to when we're talking about discrimination against other communities”, but said the government was undeterred from taking action, boasting a high quality of resources available to government to do so. “I want to be clear, we have asked senior civil servants to engage with the kind of training available on antisemitism in a way that I would like businesses to engage with it...

“These are senior leaders within the British state. The feedback I've heard from my own people on that is how positive they found that experience. So again, I want to be part of the solution to this.” However, the government has faced criticism from some for devoting resources to attempts to understand antisemitism in particular settings. Left-wing journalists, including Owen Jones, were quick to attempt to “debunk” Sir David Bell’s report on antisemitism in schools and colleges.

Bell himself responded to his critics in the JC, saying: “Antisemitism is a serious problem in our schools and colleges, and we must tackle it in a coherent and comprehensive way. My report is a start in that direction so now it’s all about implementation.” Reynolds said he was concerned “by a refusal to acknowledge something which you don't have to look too hard to see as a problem” among Bell’s critics. He went on to back the author of the government’s report, adding: “I don't think the conclusions of that report, the findings of that report, are in any way diminished by challenge to the statistical base or how that was done.”

However, Reynolds said he is worried by the enthusiasm to dismiss the report. “I'm not sure in other circumstances there would be that reaction to a report in that way. There is clearly a problem here, and where people are willing to engage in how to improve this situation, I think there is a way forward, and that's what I'm focused on.” Challenged that there is a specific problem with antisemitism on the Left, especially concerning the demonisation of Israel and antisemitic conspiracies regarding the Jewish State, Reynolds said he didn’t “think that can be denied” and that there are occasions “where particular problems feed into a broad political worldview”.

“And look, I would always say, for the left of politics in the UK, this has been a feature,” he said. As a member of Labour’s governing body, the National Executive Committee, it is a problem he is acutely aware of, having sat in a number of “10-hour” meetings “when we had to wrestle the Labour Party back to sanity” under Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership. He was keen to contrast Labour at present with Zack Polanski’s Greens, saying: “We've all seen where the Green Party has got to in a way which I think has distressed quite rightly some long-standing members of the Green Party”.

“I'm not sure I could put my finger on exactly what the cause of that is. I think, of course, views on the Middle East and the Israel-Palestine conflict have played a part within that”. But the MP for Stalybridge and Hyde in Greater Manchester said that how Labour tackled antisemitism in its ranks following the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn should serve as a model for other parties. While emphasising that antisemitism is not just a left-wing issue, he said: “There are great many Jewish iconic heroes of left-wing politics in the UK.

“Other political parties, frankly, should look to the example of the Labour Party for being able to identify and take action against a problem like this.” Ending the interview on a positive note, Reynolds praised the “immense” contribution of British Jews to the UK. While there were “many aspects” he could pick from, he said: “I would obviously, as the business secretary, point to the incredible history of British Jewish entrepreneurs or businesses.

Some of the biggest names on the high street have stories that originate from the Jewish community”. Originally from the north east of England, Reynolds spoke affectionately about the Jewish community in Manchester, where he spent most of his adult life having first moved there for university in the late 1990s. “The warmth, the welcome of the Jewish community to people who haven't had much experience of Judaism but want to learn more, make friends, connect, is something which personally means a great deal to me.”