Hertsmere's MP James Clappison recently visited victimised Jewish communities in France, as part of a campaign against anti-Semitism.

Mr Clappison visited France on behalf of the Inter-Parliamentary Council against anti-Semitism, alongside the Labour peer Lord Greville Janner, where he met entire communities who are being victimised because they are Jewish.

The party visited a Jewish school in Gagny, St Denis, which had been burnt down in a racially-motivated arson attack, and spoke to pupils and teachers about the daily abuse they faced at the hands of racists.

Children often walk to school wearing baseball caps to hide their skullcaps, and physical attacks have been carried out against some of them.

"It was very sad," said Mr Clappison. "We have had some minor problems in England, but nothing like in France and other countries, which is possibly to do with the origins of the Muslim communities in France."

Many of the Muslim people living in France come from North Africa, including Algeria and Morocco, where Islamic fundamentalists have a greater influence on public opinion than in England. Mr Clappison said current events in Israel and Palestine were stoking racial hatred between Muslims and Jews, as were internet sites set up to peddle anti-Semitic propaganda.

The Conservative MP spoke to a class of 14-year-olds, where all but one pupil said they wanted to leave France and go to live in countries such as Israel or Britain.

"We went to express our support for Jewish people in France, and to let them know that we will be encouraging our Government to do what it can at a European level to tackle the problem."

On his return to Britain Mr Clappison took part in a debate at the House of Commons, where he urged politicians to do all they could to campaign against anti-Semitism, and stop internet sites from publishing material designed to incite hatred.