Barnet elects THREE Labour MPs for the very first time

Barnet has elected three Labour MPs for the very first time – in results that served as a massive vindication of Keir Starmer’s pledge to root out antisemitism.

Elsewhere, results across the country saw the arrival of new Jewish MPs into Westminster, while a dire set of results for the Conservatives included the defeat of Jewish cabinet ministers Grant Shapps and Luzy Frazer.

In a rare bit of good news for the Tories, Oliver Dowden was re-elected as MP for Hertsmere, where he secured a comfortable victory over Jewish Labour challenger Josh Tapper.

Sarah Sackman was  elected as the new MP for Finchley and Golders Green, in a seat where more than 20 per cent of voters are Jewish.

The barrister and New North London synagogue member secured  21,857 votes defeating the Conservatives’ Alex Deane who came second with 17,276 votes.

It was a hugely significant win, in a seat Labour have repeatedly tried to take, but which was represented by Tory MP Mike Freer, until he announced he was stepping down due to threats and intimidation.

Sackman paid tribute to Freer’s “dedication to service” during her speech in the early hours of Friday, at Colindale’s RAF Museum, where the count took place.She also said she “may have differences ” over policy with Freer, but said they should have been able to face each other at the election, had it not been for the threats he faced.

Sackman, who lost in the seat in 2015, said Labour had previously “let down the Jewish community” but under Keir Starmer’s leadership “it has changed.”

She said Labour was “once again a beacon of hope to all communities” in the “special place” that is Finchley and Golders Green.

Sackman later described the re-election of Jeremy Corbyn in Islington North as being “disappointing” and said her party had “rejected” his politics.

In neighbouring Chipping Barnet, Dan Tomlinson secured the first ever victory for Labour in the seat, ousting former Tory minister Theresa Villiers.In his victory speech Tomlinson vowed to remain vigilant and ensure that antisemitism never again flourished in Labour.

In a much delayed result, David Pinto-Duschinsky was elected MP by just 15 votes, after a recount took place.The Jewish Labour Movement member also praised the changes that had been made to Labour under Starmer’s leadership in his victory speech.

Elsewhere, the community could celebrate a new group of parliamentarians being elected into Westminster, along with several outspoken allies who also secured victories.

In the Makerfield seat Josh Simons, who had spoken out on the antisemitism he faced under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership, secured an impressive victory for Labour.Simons had been at the forefront of the Labour Together group that paved the way for a Starmer victory.

In the new Queens Park and Maida Vale seat Georgia Gould, a member of the West London Synagogue, was elected.

In a surprise result Peter Prinsley became the first ever Labour, and Jewish MP in the Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket seat, with his wife already an elected Board of Deputies representative. Up in the Wirral, Matthew Patrick became another Jewish Labour MP, saying it “felt fantastic” to be elected to represent Starmer’s party.

In North Durham, Luke Akeahurst, a staunch ally of the community, and outspoken supporter of Israel, was again victorious for Labour.Labour MP Christian Wakeford also won a huge majority for  Labour  in Bury South, after previously standing for the Tories in the seat in 2019.

Wakeford, another staunch ally of the community,  retained the seat with 19,247 votes, more than 9,000 clear of Conservative runner-up Rabbi Arnold Saunders, who secured 9,886 votes.

The seat is one of the most Jewish in the country, with more than 15 per cent of  voters from the community.

Wakeford told Jewish News he felt “incredibly proud” to be re-elected.

Meanwhile in Bassetlaw, in Nottinghamshire, Jo White, wife of Lord Mann, the independent antisemitism adviser, secured a notable victory for Labour, ousting previous MP Brendan Clarke-Smith.