Anger at UK media for framing cancellation of school visit by pro-Israel MP as antisemitic
A school is at the centre of a media storm in the UK after news outlets including the Guardian, Times and Telegraph framed its decision to cancel a visit by a pro-Israel MP as being influenced by his Jewish identity.
Bristol North East MP Damien Egan was set to talk at the Bristol Brunel Academy in September last year but his visit was cancelled after objections from pro-Palestine activists, including a teacher's union.
At the time, the Bristol Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) celebrated the school's decision to no longer host Egan, who it said supported "Israel’s genocidal assault on Gaza".
Egan's is a vice-chair of Labour Friends of Israel and took part in a paid trip to attend the American Israel Public Affairs Committee's Congressional Summit in February 2025, at the height of Israel's genocide in Gaza.
More than 71,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel in Gaza since October 2023.
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Reporting on the cancelled talk has, however, focused on Egan's Jewish background rather than his support for Israel.
At no point has the PSC or the school mentioned Egan's Jewish identity as a reason for his cancellation.
Nevertheless, several news outlets highlighted Egan's Jewish identity, including the Times, whose headline read, "Jewish MP’s school visit cancelled after pro-Palestinian campaign".
In its editorial published on Tuesday evening, the paper called for stronger laws to prevent repeat instances of such "antisemitism".
"Ministers have taken to the airwaves to criticise Mr Egan’s degrading treatment. But stating that there should be zero tolerance of antisemitism in this country is one thing; doing something is another," the editorial said.
"It is time for Britain’s extensive equalities legislation and the power of the Equality and Human Rights Commission to be turned on those who would practise antisemitism in plain sight."
An earlier Guardian headline, read "Jewish MP's visit to school cancelled after opposition to from pro-Palestine group".
That was later amended without explanation, to "MP’s visit to school cancelled after opposition from pro-Palestine group".
'Duping readers'
The uproar began after Labour minister Steve Reed told a Jewish Labour Movement event that he had a "colleague who is Jewish, who has been banned from visiting a school".
Reed was referring to Egan but failed to mention his colleague's membership of Labour Friends of Israel and support for Israel as contributing factors for the event's cancellation.
Despite having happened in September, the story was then widely shared by British outlets.
Middle East Eye has contacted the school for comment but had not received a response at the time of publication.
There has been anger amongst pro-Palestine commentators and journalists over the way media outlets had handled the story.
Rivkah Brown of Novara Media condemned the Guardian's "irresponsible article", which "which mentions only in para 8 that Egan is vice-chair of Labour Friends of Israel".
She also encouraged her followers to complain to the Guardians editorial board.
Independent journalist and Middle East Eye contributor Jonathan Cook, who is based in Bristol, said: "Like other media, the paper [Guardian] is duping readers."
He added: "In fact, the cancellation has nothing to do with Egan's Jewishness.
"The visit was called off after mounting complaints from Bristol teachers and parents, who oppose genocide and don't want impressionable young minds exposed to someone who defends a state committing the ultimate crime against humanity."
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