This weekend we will observe Holocaust Memorial Day - a time for us to reflect on one of humanity’s darkest chapters.
The Holocaust, with its unspeakable suffering, remains a stark reminder of the depths of cruelty that humanity can reach, and the dangers of unchecked hatred. And that is particularly poignant this year.
On 7th October 2023, the terrorist group Hamas unleashed terror on the world’s only Jewish state – Israel. That day saw the largest loss of Jewish life since the Holocaust and yet, since then, we have seen anti-Jewish hatred rise. That is both upsetting and unnerving. That when Jews lost their life in a massacre unleashed on them, it was anti-Jewish hatred that rose across the world. Whatever we might think, it is clear that the scourge of antisemitism is never far away.
The words “never again” are not merely a vow from the past but a commitment to the future. And that commitment demands more than words; it requires resolute action.
In the last 12 months I have been privileged to attend a talk by Ike Alterman, a Holocaust survivor, whose resilience in the face of the unfathomable is both humbling and inspiring. And I undertook a personal visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau too. There I was moved in a way words cannot describe.
All of these have only cemented my desire to fight hatred and antisemitism wherever it occurs. I hope this weekend you will join in this moment of reflection, be it privately at home by lighting a candle in the window on Saturday evening, or by attending the service on Sunday at 11am.
In Westminster this week you won’t be surprised to hear I’ve been banging the drum for our area. Speaking about Burnley and Padiham in Parliament is one element but so are the meetings that take place without the cameras. This week that’s included meeting the Levelling Up Minister and – probably of most significance to residents – the Dental Minister.
The lack of NHS dental provision locally is a major issue and I walked her through the cases that residents have brought to me. We then spent time discussing possible solutions, which the Minister is now considering ahead of a Dental Recovery White Paper due out in the coming weeks. This must include incentives for practices to take on patients who have gone without treatment and so have the greatest need, requirements for newly qualified dentists to spend time working in the NHS, and much more preventative work.
More on this in the coming weeks.
