AN MP has highlighted an increase in attacks on Jewish people in the UK since the recent conflict in Gaza.

Speaking in the Commons, David Amess, Conservative MP for Southend West, called on the Government to reveal how many Jewish children had faced verbal abuse while travelling to school and how many people had been prosecuted for such offences.

But Justice Minister, Maria Eagle, said details of prosecutions were not kept on record.

Mr Amess recently led a delegation including fellow MPs to the West Bank and Gaza to see how people are coping on both sides of the conflict.

Speaking to the Echo, he said: “We had access to everyone. We visited schools, looked at security measures and discussed solutions to the conflict. We heard many different points of view.

“There has been a big increase in anti-semitic incidents since Israel began the action in Gaza and people have been criticised for that action.

“It is very difficult for them. Nationally the Community Action Trust says there have been 270 cases this year against just nine last year so there has been a big increase.”

Rabbi Warren Elf, from the Southend and District Reform Synagogue, confirmed Jewish people had suffered an increase of abuse, but said in Southend there had been few problems.

He said: “Anti-semitic attacks have gone up across the country but I am not aware of anything locally. It has been restricted to anti-semitic comments made to people in various situation.

“It is an unfortunate fact of life that people make uninformed judgments and over react without knowing anything about the situation.”