Rishi Sunak plans new law to build £100 million ‘Holocaust Memorial’

This afternoon Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that his government will bring in legislation to force through the construction of an enormous ‘Holocaust Memorial’ next to the Houses of Parliament, obliterating a public park, Victoria Tower Gardens, and costing more than £100 million.

Readers might wonder why such a vast sum is to be spent at a time of economic crisis? They might also wonder why scarce public park land in London is to be given over to commemoration of alleged events that are not part of British history, and to implied apology for alleged events for which Britain bore no responsibility.

H&D has previously reported in detail about this saga, and our assistant editor Peter Rushton submitted a fully documented objection during Westminster City Council’s consideration of the earlier application, which ended in victory for those opposed to the ‘Memorial’. Eventually the High Court prevented the government’s attempts to overrule the council: Sunak’s new law is necessary to frustrate this court judgment and ensure that the ‘Memorial’ will after all be built.

Peter reports on the new Real History blog about the latest developments.