'We won't tolerate hatred': Sunak threatens to cancel foreign national visas as antisemitism spikes

WATCH NOW: Rishi Sunak responds to a question about anti-Semitism from Sajid Javid

Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions, former Chancellor Sajid Javid said: “May I ask the (Prime Minister) to consider urgently, an immediate and specific policy of revoking the visas of any foreign national that commits an act of antisemitism or any other hate crime?”

Sunak responded: “Under our existing immigration rules we do have the power to cancel a person’s presence in the UK if it is not conducive to the public good.

“We will not tolerate this hatred, not in our country, not in this century.”

There has been a significant increase in anti-Semitic hatred since the escalation of the war in Israel after terrorist organisation Hamas launched an attack last week.

Hamas took hundreds of Israeli hostages in its attack. Sunak told the House of Commons that the UK Government is "working round the clock” with partners and allies to secure their freedom.

Addressing the situation, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer asked: “The terrible news last night came as we are still mourning the terrorist attack on Israel last week.

"Jews taken hostage, mutilated, slaughtered. And yesterday I met the families of some of the British hostages held by Hamas. Every minute of every hour of every day, they hope for good news but fear the worst.”

He added: “Israel has a right, a duty to defend itself from Hamas, keep its people safe and bring hostages home but isn’t it clear that if Hamas had a single concern for human life, a single concern for the safety of the Palestinian people, that they would never have taken these hostages, and they should release them immediately?”

Responding, Sunak said: “Our thoughts are rightly with those who have been taken hostage and their families”.

He added: “I’ll be meeting with some of the families and offering them all the support of the British Government to get their relatives home. We are working round the clock with our partners and allies to secure their freedom.”

Sunak also said he spoke with the Emir of Qatar on Tuesday, telling the Commons: “The Qatari government is taking a lead and working intensely to help release hostages using their contacts in the region and we are working very closely with them to ensure the safe return of the British hostages.”

Sunak and Starmer presented a united front at PMQs today, standing in solidarity against the atrocities in Israel and Gaza.

In his concluding remarks, Starmer said: “Does the Prime Minister agree that during this grave crisis this House must strive to speak with one voice in condemnation of terror, in support of Israel’s right to self-defence and for the dignity of all human life that cannot be protected without humanitarian access to those suffering in Gaza and the constant maintenance of the rule of international law?”

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Sunak replied: “I agree. We will in this House speak with one voice in condemning Hamas for perpetrating a shockingly brutal terrorist attack and causing untold suffering on many, and as (Sir Keir) said we stand united in supporting Israel’s right to defend itself, to protect its people and to act against terrorism.

“Unlike Hamas, the Israeli president has made it very clear that their armed forces will operate in accordance with international law and we will continue to urge the Israelis to take every precaution to avoid harming civilians whilst remembering, importantly, in this House that it is Hamas that is cruelly embedding itself in civilian populations.”