Overview
- Delegates at the British Medical Association's annual meeting voted to reject use of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism within the NHS and authorised lobbying for policy change.
- The motion instructs the BMA to seek an immediate investigation into whether the IHRA examples have been used to limit medical staff from criticising states or discussing the Israel–Palestine conflict.
- BMA leaders said the move defends doctors’ ability to criticise state actions without facing unfair discrimination claims or disciplinary threats, while the motion itself is non-binding and does not alter current NHS policy.
- The vote drew alarm from the Jewish Medical Association and the Israeli Embassy, and coverage referenced cases of doxxing and at least one doctor facing criminal charges as part of the wider row over speech and security.
- NHS England adopted the IHRA definition in October 2025 and recommended related training and limits on political symbols, so the BMA campaign could prompt fresh government or NHS review of guidance, discipline and workplace rules.