Jewish man leaving UK after 70 years 'due to safety fears'

After 34 years living in the same house, Richard Manville is closing his front door for the final time.

He has lived in the UK his whole life and now retired, he raised his children in Salford and believed he would spend the rest of his life in Greater Manchester.

Instead, and at the age of 70, he has decided to leave the UK altogether, explaining that a rise in antisemitism means he no longer feels safe as a Jewish man.

"We've brought up our children here, we've had joyful times and sad times, like everyone else," he says ahead of moving to Israel next week.

"But today I'm locking the door and saying goodbye. It's a sad day and a bad day because of the reason I'm leaving."

This was never part of Richard's retirement plan.

"This was always going to be our home," he tells the BBC. "It was always meant to be a safe place. And that is the key word - if you don't feel safe, you don't have a life."

Richard says his sense of security has eroded steadily since the 7 October 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas and the subsequent Israeli military offensive in Gaza.

He has also been further shaken by recent events, pointing to the attack in the Golders Green area of north London this week, as well as the fatal attack at a synagogue near Heaton Park in Manchester, where two men were killed and others were injured in October.

He knew people affected by the Manchester attack.

Richard says he now lives in a constant state of anxiety.

"I don't feel safe walking down the street," he says. "I have to look over my shoulder. I'm constantly aware when I drive my car and I'm checking the wing mirrors."

"This isn't happening in a distant place," Richard points out. "It's the United Kingdom. It's England. It's Manchester. It's Salford. And it's round the corner to me."

While he distinguishes between criticism of the Israeli government and antisemitism, Richard believes some language used at demonstrations and other events is increasingly crossing the line.

"Somehow, it's become normalised for Jews to be attacked in this way," he says.

Richard's experience comes amid a sharp rise in antisemitic incidents across the UK. Figures from the Community Security Trust (CST), which monitors antisemitism, found nearly 4,300 incidents were recorded in 2023 - the highest annual total ever - with similarly high levels continuing through 2024 and 2025.

A recent survey shared with BBC Panorama suggests about one-in-five British Jews have considered leaving the UK because of antisemitism.

Richard believes moving to Israel will make him feel safer, despite the ongoing conflict.

He thinks the threat in Israel is more predictable.

"I don't know who is a real threat here," he explains. "That's what's worrying."

Even everyday routines now feel fraught, he says, before describing how he feels hyper-aware of his surroundings.

Richard also says he has been shocked by online responses after speaking publicly about his decision to leave the UK.

"I expected disagreement," he says. "I didn't expect the level of hatred I received."

On Monday, Richard, his wife and their dog will walk away from the life they built in Greater Manchester - his family home of more than three decades, Saturday football at Salford City, and the future he imagined for his grandchildren.

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