Former MP Mike Freer has called on the Prime Minister and Mayor of London to speak to people in Golders Green but warned they are unlikely to get a warm reception.

Speaking on GB News Mike Freer said:

“People have said that the community is shocked but not surprised. It’s just yet another attack. What we’re seeing, though, tonight, is the community coming out saying they won’t turn the other cheek.

“Historically, the community have just got on with their lives, kept their heads down, and almost rubbed it off. But what we’re seeing today is this outpouring of anger saying they’ve had enough.

“More words are not enough. More security is not the answer. The actual government have got to start dealing with the root cause, which is actually putting people in prison, making it a serious offence, but also deporting people who are not prepared to sign up to British values.

“More security, yes. Better policing, yes, but actually start to deal with the root cause, which is something this government is simply not doing.

“Obviously it’s good for the Prime Minister come but he didn’t come for Hatzola, he didn’t come for the attack on Finchley Reform synagogue, so perhaps it’s a little bit too little and too late.

“But if he’s coming, then at least the community can tell him directly to his face that they are simply not prepared to put up with this level of inactivity from the government anymore.

“As a politician, you have to be prepared to put yourself out there. So [Sadiq Khan] probably would not get a warm reception. He probably would get a rough ride. But if he’s the Mayor of London, is the mayor for all London, and he needs to put his head above the parapet. Come here and listen to Londoners; hiding in City Hall. Is not the answer. That is not leadership.

“You have to be seen to be listening. At the moment, he’s not being seen. He’s not talking to people. He’s not listening to people. So as I said, it will be an uncomfortable visit, no doubt, but he has to do it. That’s his job. So he hears first hand from the people of London, from the people of Golders Green.

“City Hall is too far away; he needs to come to Golders Green and see and hear for himself.

“I’ve been saying for years that the security fund is welcome. The big buildings, the big synagogues get security. What about the small shops? What about people on the streets, as we saw today?

“We need proper security, proper policing. Barnet don’t get enough police. So we need extra police for Barnet, not for northwest London, for Barnet specifically. We need the smaller premises, actually given security.

“But I go back to the point, what are they doing to root out the cause of this Jew hatred?”