Dear constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about the Durban IV anti-racism conference. Successive UK Governments have expressed concerns that the United Nations' Durban conferences on anti-racism have become forums for antisemitism. The UK boycotted part of the Durban II conference and declined to attend Durban III altogether due to these concerns.

On 21 June 2021, a Government spokesperson said that the United Kingdom will join other countries, such as the United States, Israel, Canada and Australia, in not participating in the planned Durban IV events in September this year. A formal announcement by the Government is expected in due course.

I know this decision has been welcomed by the Holocaust Education Trust, the Jewish Leadership Council, and the Board of Deputies which stated, “We will always support the fight against racism, but this must include opposing antisemitism in all its forms”.

More widely, I note the Foreign Secretary has said the UK “does not support any partisan or political attacks on Israel” at the UN Human Rights Council. The Foreign Secretary also stated the UK Government “condemns and is opposed to any and all forms of antisemitism”.

Thank you once again for contacting me about this important issue.

Yours sincerely,

Peter Dowd MP