Shared a personal story about his great-grandfather who was betrayed by ordinary people during the war and killed in Belzec extermination camp, emphasising the theme of 'ordinary people'.

Asked if Sajid Javid shares her concern about overlooking antisemitic attacks, citing a visit to a Jewish school where 10-year-old children reported facing antisemitism.

Criticised the Crown Prosecution Service for not prosecuting perpetrators of hate crimes, including those who drove from Bradford with threatening signs targeting Jews. Suggested this inaction sends a terrible message and allows such behaviour to continue.

Holocaust Memorial Day is a time to strengthen collective memory, pass on lessons learned, and ensure safety for those persecuted today. Ordinary people were victims, perpetrators, bystanders, and witnesses during the holocaust; some became extraordinary by acting bravely. Margaret Hodge highlighted stories of Roza Robota and Captain Frank Foley as examples of ordinary people who acted heroically. She shared personal family experiences to illustrate the impact of silence on survivors' lives, emphasising the importance of keeping such stories alive for future generations. She also noted that 5% of UK adults do not believe in the holocaust or exaggerate its scale, underscoring the need to combat rising hatred through education and remembrance.

Acknowledging the significance of Holocaust Memorial Day, Peter Bottomley discussed the importance of interfaith gatherings that aim to prevent such atrocities from recurring. He mentioned his personal family history connected to various concentration camps and emphasised the value of historical education. He disagreed with the Government's proposed location for the national holocaust memorial and suggested separating the learning centre from the memorial to avoid its proximity to Parliament. He also praised the work of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust and the Holocaust Educational Trust, advocating for continuous remembrance efforts throughout the year.

It is truly an honour to make my maiden speech in the House in such an emotive and important debate. We must always remember the horrors of the holocaust, and do all we can to inform and educate ourselves and future generations about the dangers that exist when the judgment of decision makers is clouded by bigotry, hatred, racism and intolerance. Given the matter before the House, I feel compelled to begin my comments about my constituency by first highlighting the rich diversity that we so cherish in Stretford and Urmston, and indeed in Partington, Carrington and Old Trafford. The constituency is home not just to those whose heritage can be traced back several generations locally, but also a large Irish diaspora, a considerable Muslim community, one of Greater Manchester’s largest Sikh populations, a Traveller settlement, many Jewish and Hindu residents, and a longstanding and sizeable African-Caribbean community.

Crabb acknowledges the importance of Holocaust Memorial Day, paying tribute to survivors and organisations such as the Holocaust Educational Trust. He emphasises remembering the victims from various backgrounds including Jewish people, Roma, Sinti people, gay men, disabled individuals, political opponents, and others killed in subsequent genocides like those in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, and Darfur. Crabb highlights the theme of 'ordinary people' which is a reflection on how ordinary individuals endured extraordinary evil with grace and strength. He also expresses gratitude towards the Foreign Secretary for efforts against antisemitism and mentions specific survivors such as Manfred Goldberg and Mala Tribich who shared their powerful testimonies. Crabb calls for continuous action to fight discrimination, mentioning pressing ahead with legislation to combat boycotts, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) which can be antisemitic.

Thanked his colleagues for their contributions and paid tribute to organisations such as the Holocaust Educational Trust, Antisemitism Policy Trust, Community Security Trust, The Fed, Karen Pollock, and Danny Stone. He emphasised that ordinary people can make extraordinary decisions to challenge prejudice and stand against identity-based persecution. Highlighted how during the rise of Nazi Germany, many ordinary people in power facilitated genocide by obeying orders or profiting from Jewish people's misfortune while others turned a blind eye to atrocities happening around them. Emphasised the importance of not standing by as racism and injustice occur, urging everyone to lead against those who wish to fan hatred. Cited Sir Nicholas Winton’s efforts in saving children from Czechoslovakia during the Holocaust as an example of leadership that chooses virtue over evil.

Mr John Cryer congratulated organisations such as the Holocaust Educational Trust (HET), Community Security Trust (CST) for educating people and combating antisemitism, including within his own party.

It is an honour to rise today to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day. The theme of this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day is “ordinary people”. We reflect on the fact that its victims were ordinary people, each with their own inherent human dignity, loves, hopes, fears and aspirations—not nameless, faceless statistics. This week I had the honour of sharing a platform with the holocaust survivor Joan Salter MBE, who has been turning reflection into action through her advocacy for contemporary refugees and her work with Freedom from Torture.

In a debate featuring successive powerful speeches, the one that we have just heard from the hon. Member for Warrington North has to rank among the most powerful, and I congratulate her on it. I also congratulate the Holocaust Educational Trust because it is a sign of its success that in these debates, held year after year, such enormously influential contributions are made by new generations of MPs. I have spoken in two of these debates previously. Some people may see Nina around the Estate, not particularly noticing anything about this petite lady that would ever make them think that, at the age of two, she was thrown by her parents from a train on its route to Treblinka in an attempt to save her life.

Bob Stewart, a witness to genocide in Bosnia, describes his experience witnessing the Ahmići massacre in 1993 and the subsequent war crimes trials. He underscores the importance of remembering ordinary people who suffer or commit atrocities during such events.

It is an absolute honour to follow the right hon. and gallant Member for Beckenham and to hear again his powerful testimony about what he witnessed in relation to the holocaust. Lyn Brown speaks about the 1943 uprising at Treblinka where very ordinary people with little hope rose against extermination, planning and executing their fight despite knowing of the brutal repercussions. She emphasises the resilience shown by these individuals who had endured years of trauma but still managed to organise a rebellion that led to significant damage to the camp's infrastructure and resulted in some prisoners escaping. Brown also draws parallels to modern-day atrocities like those in Darfur, urging for action against ongoing genocides.

My thanks to my right hon. Friend the Member for Bromsgrove for bringing forward the debate and my commendations to a new member on an excellent maiden speech. David Mundell tells the story of Jane Haining, an ordinary person who became extraordinary through her love and courage, working at the Scottish Mission School in Budapest during World War II where she cared for Jewish girls despite being warned to leave by the Church of Scotland due to increasing persecution. He highlights how her refusal to abandon the children led to her arrest and death at Auschwitz-Birkenau. Mundell emphasises Jane’s selflessness and recognition as a Righteous Among the Nations, encouraging wider remembrance of her life to inspire future generations against evil.

The hon. Member for Stockport praised local organisations like the Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester and the work done by organisations such as the Holocaust Educational Trust. He also highlighted the importance of reflecting on the atrocities of the Holocaust and the need to combat contemporary forms of antisemitism, including hate crimes online and offline.

The hon. Member for Meriden and Solihull East associated himself with the sentiments expressed by Labour MP Navendu Mishra, emphasising that social media companies must do more to address hate crimes online. He paid tribute to survivors like Paul Oppenheimer from his constituency who lived through the Holocaust and rebuilt their lives in Britain. Bhatti underscored the importance of learning from history and working together internationally to prevent future genocides.

Congratulates the Members who secured the debate and acknowledges the work of various organisations in commemorating the Holocaust. She expresses concern about antisemitism in her constituency, particularly at Wimbledon Synagogue. Anderson declares an interest as chair of multiple all-party parliamentary groups focused on preventing genocide and crimes against humanity. She shares personal experiences from working in Bosnia during the war and highlights the importance of remembering historical atrocities to prevent future ones. Emphasises the need for legislation that ensures 'Never again' means never again, especially regarding the 75th anniversary of the convention on the prevention and punishment of the crime of genocide. Pays tribute to Holocaust survivors like Zigi Shipper and educators such as Anne Frank, Corrie ten Boom, and Primo Levi. Discusses visits to Srebrenica memorial and Kyiv where she saw memorials for the holodomor and Babi Yar. She proposes creating a new pathway outside the UN Security Council to recognise potential genocide and highlights recommendations from the International Development Committee's report on preventing mass atrocities.

Antisemitism is not new, and it was not new in the 1930s. Jewish people have been subjected to antisemitism throughout Europe since the middle ages. The hatred escalated significantly after the great war, when the reparations on Germany and its allies were extreme, and we had the Wall Street crash and the depression, which led to rampant inflation in Germany and the collapse of the Weimar republic. This led to the rise of Hitler and the Nazi party as he assumed control of Germany. It is unclear to me what was behind Hitler’s hatred towards Jews. However, it is quite clear that Hitler held the Jewish community responsible for the defeat of Germany in world war one. After Hitler came to power, he wasted no time in using the Government to target and exclude Jews from German society, claiming they were inferior. In September 1935, the Nuremberg laws were passed by the German Parliament, which meant that many of the Nazis’ radical theories were institutionalised. Despite the shocking morals, Hitler was a calculated and systematic man, carefully thinking through his long-term plan before enacting it. He was able to persuade the German people by providing free radios that played only antisemitic programmes, ensuring that all children’s books depicted the villain as a Jewish character, showing posters blaming the Jews for every evil, and introducing strong censorship on all anti-Nazi media. On 9 November, Kristallnacht, or the “night of broken glass”, took place. That was the terrorisation of Jews throughout Germany and Austria, which had recently been annexed by the Nazis. The aftermath saw dozens of further discriminative restrictions, including ID cards with a segregating ‘J’ stamp, removal of driver’s licences, and segregation in schools. By 1942, the Nazis discussed their “final solution” to kill every European Jew. In 1945, Auschwitz-Birkenau was liberated, but sadly by then 6 million Jewish people—two thirds of European Jews—had lost their lives. Before we get too comfortable, remember what happened in this country with the British Union of Fascists fuelled by antisemitism and led by Oswald Mosley.

Thanked the right hon. Member for Bromsgrove and congratulated the hon. Member for Stretford and Urmston on his maiden speech, emphasising the importance of Holocaust Memorial Day 2023 to reflect on upholding democracy. Pledged support for the work done by the Holocaust Educational Trust and paid tribute to holocaust survivor Zigi Shipper. Highlighted this year's theme 'ordinary people' which draws attention to those who stood by and allowed genocides, as well as those who fought back against them. She spoke of two women from her constituency—Dorrith Sim and Rita Strassmann—who were part of the Kindertransport, reflecting on their experiences and how they shaped their lives.

Commended the debate and spoke about the Holodomor in Ukraine, an act of genocide inflicted by Stalin to force Ukrainian farmers into collectivism and break resistance against Russian Soviet rule. She shared the story of her constituent Mala Tribich who survived unimaginable horrors during World War II including being forced into a ghetto, losing family members, facing life-threatening decisions, and enduring concentration camps before liberation. Stressed that personal testimonies from survivors like Mala are powerful as they remind us of the individual people behind the statistics.

Commended the right hon. Member for Bromsgrove and praised the hon. Member for Stretford and Urmston for his maiden speech. Emphasised support for Israel, acknowledged contributions to peace in Northern Ireland by the hon. and gallant Member for Beckenham, and underscored belief in God’s image. Highlighted personal experience with a staff member's visit to the Imperial War Museum, which showcased stories of ordinary people affected during World War II and the Holocaust. Emphasised the importance of free access to historical education at the museum. Used statistics to illustrate the enormity of 6 million lives lost (equivalent to walking from Stranraer to Orkney without meeting anyone). Stressed the moral responsibility of non-compliance against injustices, referencing the war in Ukraine and the need for young people to understand their role in standing up against what is morally wrong. Advocated for continued funding of educational visits to Auschwitz and the Imperial War Museum to ensure that future generations learn from history and prevent similar atrocities.

The debate focuses on the theme of ordinary people and how they were affected by the Holocaust. Kirsten Oswald emphasises the importance of remembering individuals who lost their lives due to their identity, such as those memorialised through stumbling blocks in Europe. She highlights the work of survivors like Henry and Ingrid Wuga, whose testimony has shaped many young lives. Additionally, she mentions the bravery of Jane Haining, a Scottish missionary who stayed behind to care for Jewish children during the Holocaust despite knowing the risks.

It is an honour to speak for the Opposition in this important debate on Holocaust Memorial Day. Tomorrow, we will mark the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau and remember 6 million Jews murdered during the holocaust, alongside millions from other persecuted groups. The debate highlighted the duty to pass down stories of human rights abuses to prevent future genocides. Contributions were made by Stephen Crabb, David Mundell, Theresa Villiers, Ms Brown, Christian Wakeford, Navendu Mishra, Saqib Bhatti, Bob Blackman, Margaret Ferrier, Nicola Richards, Fleur Anderson, Sir Peter Bottomley, Mr Walker, Andrew Western, Steve McCabe, Charlotte Nichols, and others. The debate emphasised the importance of education in schools to combat hate and antisemitism. Special mention was made for the National Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre project, the Beth Shalom centre, and the Aegis Trust's global prevention efforts against genocide.

It truly is an honour and I feel humbled to reply to this powerful and moving debate. I pay tribute to my right hon. Friend the Member for Bromsgrove for securing this debate and for his powerful speech that set the right tone... There have been so many powerful speeches. I was struck by her words, 'whoever listens to a witness becomes a witness'. By joining and by contributing to this debate we are all playing our role in keeping the memory of the holocaust alive... In the United Kingdom tomorrow, on Holocaust Memorial Day, we remember the 6 million Jewish men, women and children murdered during the holocaust. We also remember the 1.5 million to 2 million murdered in Cambodia; the 8,000 Muslim men and boys murdered in Srebrenica; the 1 million Tutsi murdered in Rwanda... I pay tribute to the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust and its CEO, Olivia Marks-Woldman, to the Holocaust Educational Trust and its CEO, Karen Pollock. The Government are proud to have backed the IHRA’s working definition of holocaust denial and distortion in 2013, its working definition of antisemitism in 2016... I thank my right hon. Friend for updating the House on that important work.

Given that the Minister mentioned antisemitism in universities, may I draw her attention and the attention of the House to the excellent work of the Council for At-Risk Academics, which was founded in 1933 to rescue eminent academics who were being barred from German universities and has functioned ever since? Tomorrow, I hope to meet a young female academic who has been enabled to come to the University of Southampton by CARA.

I am grateful for some of the actions being taken by His Majesty’s Government that the Minister has outlined, but I want to push her on one more. In 1988 the Conservative Government set up the Hetherington inquiry, which led to the War Crimes Act 1991... Could the Minister commit to making representations to His Majesty’s Government for an inquiry into this, as called for by the Board of Deputies, so that we can learn from this and ensure it never happens again?

Mr Javid thanked the Deputy Speaker and the Minister for their words, acknowledging the Government's commitment to fighting prejudice. He praised the contributions from all parties, highlighting the unity of the House in calling for a stronger fight against hate and prejudice. Mr Javid congratulated Andrew Western on his maiden speech, noting that it was one of the best he has heard. The theme set by the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust was reflected in many speeches: ordinary people's role in genocides. He emphasised the growing responsibility to remember and learn from the past with each passing survivor.

Mr Evans congratulated Andrew Western on his maiden speech, noting that it was clearly brilliant despite not having heard it personally.

Mr Lammy raised a point of order regarding the Windrush scandal. He highlighted that successive Prime Ministers and Home Secretaries had promised to accept Wendy Williams’s inquiry recommendations in full and compensate victims, but today's written statement revealed only half compensation has been made and Windrush recommendations have been dropped. This decision tramples on the hopes of the Windrush generation and anyone believing in a shared multicultural future.

Mr Evans addressed David Lammy’s point of order, noting that there will be no statement today as the House is not sitting tomorrow. He requested that the Home Office Ministers are made aware of Mr Lammy's point of order through the Treasury Whip.