Yorkshire Tory MP told not to use potentially antisemitic term

She said: “That hope is sadly diminishing in so many of our young people today, because liberal individualism has proven to be completely powerless to resist the cultural Marxism that is systematically destroying our children’s souls.

She added: “We must end the indoctrination of our children with destructive and narcissistic ideologies, instead protecting childhood, training children in the timeless virtues and teaching them how to love our country.”

However she was criticised by Jewish groups and fellow Tory MPs for using the term “cultural marxism” which has been used as an antisemitic slur in the past.

Andrew Percy, the Conservative MP for Brigg and Goole, and vice-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group Against Antisemitism, told The Yorkshire Post: "The use of this phrase is wholly inappropriate.

“It is a dog whistle for antisemites. Myself and Jewish groups have made this clear on numerous occasions.

“I'm sure Miriam meant no offence or harm but it needs to be clear that this is a phrase which should be avoided, and she should apologise.”

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “Terms such as “cultural Marxism” can function as an antisemitic dog whistle, even if they are not always intended as such.

“The phrase is often used as a coded means of pinning the perceived degradation of society on Jews, implying that they are masterminding a widespread collapse of values and ethics for their own gain, thereby employing the antisemitic trope of wielding power and influence and drawing upon the far-right believe that Jews are moral degenerates.

"While there is no indication that Miriam Cates meant the phrase in this way, politicians should generally endeavour to find less toxic language to promote their politics.”

John Mann, the Government’s antisemitism tsar, said: “The use of the term is rooted in Goebbels’ cultural Bolshevism and is a conspiracy theory with antisemitism at its core.

“Its overlap with antisemitism today is seriously problematic and is part of the language being used to target Jewish people in very dangerous ways.

“No UK politician should be comfortable in using it and needs to understand where it comes from and why that is problematic.”

But Yoram Hazony, the conference chairman and an orthodox Jewish theologian, said the term is “apt”.

He said: “I deplore this attempt to smear a friend of the Jews such as Miriam Cates with the utterly preposterous accusation of antisemitism.

“The term ‘cultural Marxism’ is an apt phrase to describe the cultural agenda promoted by many on the left today. The Edmund Burke Foundation offers no platform to antisemites. We are proud to number Miriam Cates among our speakers and friends.”

Ms Cates made her comments while giving one of the opening speeches at the National Conservatism Conference, in which she called for families to be encouraged to have more children.

The former biology teacher used her speech to argue that falling birth rates were “the one overarching threat to British conservatism and indeed the whole of Western society”.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​