Jewish MP's visit to school cancelled after concerns raised by pro-Palestine group

"I have a colleague who is Jewish, who has been banned from visiting a school and refused permission to visit a school in his own constituency, in case his presence inflames the teachers. That is an absolute outrage. They will be called in, and they will be held to account for doing that, because you cannot have people with those kinds of attitudes teaching our children."

"The planned school visit by Damien Egan, MP for Bristol North East, has been cancelled after concerns were raised by the NEU [National Education Union] staff group, parents and local constituents. This is a clear message: politicians who openly support Israel's genocidal assault on Gaza are not welcome in our schools."

A planned September visit by Jewish Labour MP Damien Egan to Bristol Brunel Academy was cancelled by the school hours before it was due to happen after a campaign by a pro-Palestine group and concerns raised by an NEU staff group, parents and local constituents. Communities secretary Steve Reed described the ban as an absolute outrage and warned those responsible would be called in and held to account. Bristol Palestine Solidarity Campaign framed the cancellation as a message that politicians supporting Israel's military actions in Gaza are not welcome in schools. Egan is vice-chair of Labour Friends of Israel and there remains hope the visit may still go ahead.

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