A Government adviser has called for schools to be required to teach about contemporary anti-Semitism to combat an “alarming” rise in hatred towards Jewish people.

Former Labour MP Lord Mann, who now sits as a non-affiliated peer, urged ministers across the UK to take action after a recent investigation found anti-Semitic incidents in English schools almost trebled over the past five years.

A report proposing “major developments” has been put forward by Lord Mann, where he set out 10 key recommendations to challenge “gaps and weaknesses” in Britain’s current approach.

The report warns of an “alarming growth” of anti-Jewish hate among young people, citing a survey of 1,315 secondary schools, carried out by the Henry Jackson Society think tank in July, which found anti-Semitic incidents rose from 60 in 2017 to 164 in 2022.

Redhill And Reigate Life: There have been 10 key recommendations put forward in the report to tackle anti-Semitism in schoolsThere have been 10 key recommendations put forward in the report to tackle anti-Semitism in schools (Image: PA)

Ministers should investigate barriers to reporting and prosecuting anti-Semitic hate crime, counter the spread of dangerous rhetoric from neo-Nazi groups, and pledge multi-year funding to protect Jewish communities, the report suggests.

Lord Mann said: “The growing spread of anti-Semitism among young people should be a matter of deep concern to all of us, not least because it is often leading to hate crime and violence against members of the Jewish community, including schoolchildren.

“I urge the UK Government and the devolved nations to act on my new calls for action before this form of racism poisons the minds of many more young people.”

READ MORE: Minister pledges to protect British Jewish community amid anti-Semitic abuse

Mary Bousted, joint-general secretary of the National Education Union, backed the call for this to be implemented.

She said: “Government should act on this recommendation, involving teachers in the work.

“But it must treat the fight against racism as indivisible. When ministers and MPs attack asylum seekers, they create a hospitable environment for xenophobia and actively obstruct the work of schools in teaching against race hate, including anti-Semitism.”

A Government spokesman said in response to this: “Anti-Semitism, as with all forms of bullying and hatred, is abhorrent and has no place in our education system.

“The atrocities of the Holocaust are a compulsory part of national curriculum for history at Key Stage 3, and we support schools to construct a curriculum that enables the discussion of important issues such as anti-Semitism.

“The Online Safety Bill will mean that what is unacceptable offline is also unacceptable online. Where the abuse is illegal, social media companies will need to take robust action to tackle it.”