I attended a gala dinner to launch the 14th Plenary Assembly of the World Jewish Congress on Sunday night. The leading figures of the Jewish communities of the world were there. And so were senior figures from the Hungarian Government, including PM Orbán, and leaders of opposition parties. I sat at a table with representatives of the Jewish community in the UK and around the world and had a really enjoyable evening discussing world events with them.
I think of the whole evening, that feature (an open discussion of issues between different and diverse parties) was the most enjoyable and important. The focus of the speeches was the situation of Jewish people in Hungary and what the government has and will do to fight intolerance. I won’t go into details in a blog. But this is a really important question and it was good to hear PM Orbán say he has and will have zero tolerance for intolerance.
This tolerance of people who are different in whatever way (ethnicity, religion, sexuality, physical ability or just plain looks) is a vital part of a healthy and successful society. Without it we are poorer in spirit and economically. Strong people and nations are tolerant. Tolerant people and nations are strong
There are many reasons that I am proud of my country, and this tolerance is important among them. We don’t have the perfect society, of course, and my Jewish dining partners explained to me that they face issues in the UK today. But I strongly feel that the underlying British sentiment is tolerance. And we will defend that whether through government or court action or through the pressure from society to say “No” to extremists and hate-mongers. One thing which is intolerable today is hate.