Daniel Sugarman from Jewish News shared his insights into a range of related, troubling issues and ways of addressing them
I had already hoped Daniel Sugarman, deputy editor of Jewish News, would agree to be a True London podcast guest before the antisemitic hate attack on the ambulances of a Jewish charity in Golders Green. That was because I, like many others, had been impressed by a Jewish News editorial that had strongly defended Muslims following the distorting, vicious and chilling attack by the Right on the recent open iftar event in Trafalgar Square led by, disgracefully, the shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy.
Daniel wrote that editorial, and since the Golders Green attack, he has also written a strong personal piece about growing up in the area and a necessary, precise rebuttal of the ridiculous but disturbingly pervasive conspiracy theories that always flourish in the wake of such incidents.
We covered all of the above in our podcast conversation and explored more broadly what I would call the roles assigned to Jews and antisemitism in various parts of the political spectrum, including in their different ways both the far-Left and the far-Right. Referring to US podcasters, he warned that they, having spent years attacking Muslims, have lately begun directing their hate at Jews. “If people think that can’t happen here,’ he said, “they are absolutely kidding themselves.” He also set out his view on what he sees as the shortcomings of the laws governing protest marches.
Watch the podcast below or just listen to it here.
PS: If we’d had more time, Daniel would have told us more about Hatzola, the Jewish charity that, for years, has provided its ambulance service for anyone who needs it in north London. Perhaps, once a little time has passed, On London can do that job.
Follow Dave Hill on Bluesky and at LinkedIn. Image from BBC News.
OnLondon.co.uk is funded by sales of publisher and editor Dave Hill’s twice-weekly newsletter On London Extra. To start receiving it, become a paying subscriber to Dave’s personal Substack. Thanks.
