Jewish pupils invited to Prime Minister’s Questions for Pesach

The Seder table tradition of children asking adults questions was reversed when the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer met pupils from a Jewish primary school to ask them questions about Pesach.

The meeting at Number 10 with seven pupils from North West London Jewish Day School was facilitated by Board of Deputies President Phil Rosenberg.

The pupils, who ranged in age from eight to 11, were selected at short notice by the headteacher.

Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing StrPrime Minister Sir Keir Starmer with pupils from North West London Jewish Day School (Photo: Simon Dawson/No 10 Downing Street)

Among his questions, the prime minister asked the children why matzah and bitter herbs were eaten.

When the pupils were then given the chance to quiz their country’s leader, one of them asked if Starmer had always wanted to be prime minister, to which he responded that when he was their age, he had wanted to be a professional footballer but “I think I’m better [at football] than I probably am”.

Posting the video to X, Starmer said it was a “very special” visit, and wished Jewish people celebrating in the UK and around the world a happy Passover.

James Schuldenfrei, vice chair of the governors of the school, said the children had been “excited to go somewhere that they’d only seen in pictures before and to have a really special time with the prime minister.”

He added that they were “absolutely buzzing” from the experience and that they remarked afterwards about how friendly, approachable, and “normal” the prime minister was.

Unfortunately, they didn’t not get to miss a day of school for the experience and instead went to Downing Street at the end of their last day of term.