The row in the Labour party about anti-Semitism seems to have blown up out of nowhere and shows no sign of abating. It has certainly taken me by surprise.
Having been to Israel/Palestine four times in my career, I can see why some people are so pro-Palestinian that they automatically become anti-Israel and then sub-consciously confuse that with being anti-Jewish. Israel certainly plays hard-ball. I have always found the Israelis so impressive and the Palestinian leadership the opposite, that I hope I come away seeing both sides of the complicated story.
Furthermore, some people appear to hold the core view that Western style capitalism is wrong despite the many benefits it has brought our world. If so, it would be easy to conflate Jewish financial success with the alleged harm that corporate banks, wealthy individuals and international conglomerates have caused. That appears to be why some on the hard left stumble into an unacceptable anti-Semitism.
Does it matter? It does for two reasons. First, the atrocities visited upon the Jewish people during the Second World War were of such a horrendous nature that we have to ensure that it never happens again. I have visited Belsen and it was one of the most distressing experiences of my life. We must respect freedom of speech, but those who seek to deny the holocaust ever happened are not just denying historic evidence, they are setting us up for a repeat performance if we allow such views to take root.
Secondly, freedom of religion is vital if we are to have a free and peaceful world. As you all know I am a Christian, but I believe it is essential that all people of all religion and none should have space in our society to practice their religious beliefs within the law. There are those that say that other countries do not show similar tolerance as do in in Britain, but we have to lead on this and work with those countries to bring about change. I should be free to worship my God as I wish to, and so should the other guy.
There are moments in the UK when Christianity gets a hard time and we have to stick up for our right to believe and express our beliefs, the values that made our nation great in the first place.
All regions should be respected. None more so than the religion of Abraham, the Father of faith.