Former Tory home secretary Sir Sajid Javid confirmed as the new chair of the HMDT

The Rt Hon Sir Sajid Javid has been confirmed as the new chair of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust (HMDT).

Sir Sajid succeeds Laura Marks CBE, who has retired from the role after nine years of service. Marks said: “It’s been a huge privilege leading HMDT, and I’m delighted to leave it in such good hands with Sajid.”

In recognition of her service, she will become an honorary vice president of HMDT and chair of the experts’ reference group.

A distinguished public figure, former cabinet minister Sir Sajid brings significant national leadership experience, having served as chancellor, home secretary and culture secretary among other roles when the Conservatives were in power.

A spokesperson for HMDT said that Sir Sajid had “a profound passion for challenging antisemitism, racial hatred and persecution. His extensive experience in various cabinet roles uniquely positions him to lead the trust in its crucial mission.”

During his tenure as home secretary, Sir Sajid’s focus was on protecting vulnerable communities by significantly increasing government funding to combat antisemitism and other hate crimes and by promoting social cohesion. As secretary of state for communities and local government, he called for local councils to take up the IHRA’s definition of antisemitism.

He also played a key role in planning the proposed national Holocaust memorial and learning centre next to parliament and has visited both Auschwitz-Birkenau and Yad Vashem.

Upon his appointment, Sir Sajid Javid said: “I’m deeply honoured to take on the role of chair of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust and would like to thank Laura Marks for her outstanding leadership and dedication. My commitment to preserving the memory of the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust and ensuring its lessons continue to resonate with future generations remains steadfast, in the hope of upholding the dignity and humanity of all people.”

Holocaust Memorial Day falls on January 27 to correspond with the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau. As well as honouring the memory of six million Jewish people and other groups murdered by the Nazis, HMD also commemorates other UK government-recognised genocides, including those in Bosnia and Rwanda. In 2024, following October 7 and the subsequent war in Gaza, engagement in HMD was found to have dropped by 20 per cent.

In 2025, the trend looked like it had reversed as heads of HMDT reported that millions of people across the country had engaged in HMD via educational projects, media campaigns and the televised national ceremony. This was despite calls by the Islamic Human Rights Commission to boycott the day for not also calling the war in Gaza a “genocide” – a label  rejected by the UN’s former special adviser on the prevention of genocide.