An exhibition exploring how Britain perceived the Holocaust during World War II is set to tour across the UK after being viewed by members of Parliament at Portcullis House in September. The research behind the exhibition uses newspaper articles, radio broadcasts, academic studies, witness accounts, and government records. It is a preview of a larger, permanent exhibition that will be part of the national Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre, planned for a site in London. Martin Winstone, a senior historical adviser to the Holocaust Educational Trust, said that Britain became aware of the Holocaust much earlier than many people think, with information appearing in newspapers and on the BBC as early as 1942. The Manchester Guardian was particularly noted for its detailed coverage of the Holocaust, urging the British government and its allies to take more action. The newspaper had previously been banned in Germany in 1933 for criticizing Adolf Hitler's antisemitism and had long supported easing immigration restrictions for Jews. Information about the Holocaust, including the existence of death camps, was shared with the London-based Polish government-in-exile by couriers who smuggled documents out of Poland. Winstone described the situation as complex, noting that while the government was focused on winning the war, some argued that waiting for victory could mean no one would be left to save those in danger. During the war, the government commissioned reports on antisemitism in Britain, with agents reading people’s mail and recording conversations in air raid shelters to understand public opinion. Ministry of Information reports showed that while many British people felt sympathy for Jews in occupied Europe, there was also a presence of anti-migration and antisemitic attitudes. Winstone noted that nearly everyone in Britain was horrified by the mass murders, but antisemitic claims about Jews in Britain increased, with suggestions that they were controlling the black market, avoiding military service, and causing panic. Even before the Holocaust began, during the 1930s, there was a strong opinion in Britain that the country should not accept Jewish refugees. UK immigration laws at the time were very strict, partly due to antisemitism earlier in the 20th century. After the Kristallnacht pogrom in 1938, Britain eased some restrictions, allowing Jewish children from Europe to enter without visas. The Manchester Guardian reported that Jewish communities and Quakers in Manchester created organizations to support refugees. According to Winstone, British women, including MP Eleanor Rathbone, grassroots fundraisers, and those who were interned with Jews in France, were key in humanitarian efforts. A 2021 survey by the Claims Conference found that 21% of the British public knew that the UK government was aware of the mass murder of Jews as early as 1941. The UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation is co-chaired by broadcaster and former Labour politician Ed Balls and Tory peer Eric Pickles, who said the exhibition will give an early look at the work being done for the upcoming memorial. The exhibition will be on display at the Northern Ireland assembly from 30 October to 13 November, then at the Scottish parliament from 7 to 10 December. It will later travel to Cardiff from 16 January to 4 February 2027, aligning with Holocaust Memorial Day on 27 January. The exhibition is also expected to visit Manchester, with a specific date and venue yet to be announced. The UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre, planned for Victoria Tower Gardens in Westminster, does not yet have a confirmed opening date, as a planning application is being reviewed by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. The Holocaust Memorial Act 2026 received royal assent this year, providing legal approval and government funding for the project.