The British Medical Association (BMA) has voted to drop the controversial International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, saying it had a “chilling effect” on free speech in the workplace.
Doctors from across Britain backed the motion at the BMA’s annual conference on Tuesday, amid growing concerns that healthcare workers are being punished for expressing views on international conflicts.
The motion called on the doctors’ union to “provide urgent guidance and support to members who face disciplinary action or professional detriment for expressing legitimate political views or ethical concerns about international conflicts, including Palestine/Israel”.
The text also urged NHS England and NHS organisations to conduct “comprehensive risk assessments” before implementing policies that could affect employees’ freedom of expression.
NHS England formally adopted the IHRA definition in October 2025, a move that was welcomed by some Jewish organisations but criticised by civil liberty groups and pro-Palestine campaigners.
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Last week, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) endorsed a review into anti-Jewish hate and other forms of racism in the NHS by the UK government’s advisor on antisemitism, Lord John Mann.
The review recommends mandatory antisemitism training for 1.5 million NHS staff members, as well as banning them from displaying political symbols in the workplace and preventing them from attending protests in their uniforms.
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Mann’s review of antisemitism relies on the IHRA definition of antisemitism.
Critics of the IHRA definition argue that several of its accompanying examples risk conflating criticism of Israel with antisemitism, potentially restricting legitimate political speech and advocacy for Palestinian rights.
Supporters of the IHRA definition argue that it is an important tool for identifying and tackling antisemitism, and that it does not prevent criticism of Israeli government policies.
Earlier this month, a coalition of medical associations representing over 13,000 healthcare workers in the UK called on the British government to immediately pause the rollout of a series of measures set out by Lord Mann that would censor pro-Palestine advocacy within the NHS.
Following the outbreak of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, several cases have emerged of medical workers being reprimanded for showing their support for Palestine or using Palestine-related memorabilia in the workplace.
They include a British-Palestinian nurse who was ordered to remove a background on his video calls that showed a fruit bowl containing a watermelon because it could be perceived to be antisemitic.
The watermelon has become a symbol of solidarity with the Palestinian cause, as it shares its colours with the Palestinian flag and is harder for social media algorithms to censor.
