Chipping Barnet turns Labour for the first time ever
Dan Tomlinson has become Chipping Barnet’s first ever Labour MP after defeating main opponent and Tory former minister Theresa Villiers.
In a result that drew loud cheers from the Labour contingent at the RAF Museum count on Friday morning Tomlinson secured over 21, 000 votes, nearly 3000 more than Villiers.
In his speech Tomlinson noted how his victory had come about after Labour banished the stain of antisemtism under previous leadership.
Sarah Sackman praises ex-MP Mike Freer in moving victory speech
Sarah Sackman has secured an impressive victory in the Finchley and Golders Green seat, previously held by Tory MP Mike Freer.
In a result that vindicated the changes made to Labour by leader Keir Starmer, the barrister, beat Tory challenger by over 4000 votes in a seat Labour have long wanted to capture.
In a victory speech, Sackman paid tribute to Freer, who stood down after receivung sustained threats, praising his years of “dedication and service.”
Sackman said she was priviledged to represent the seat she had grown up in, but added the community was crying out for change.
She noted how the Labour Party needed to change, after it had “let down the Jewish community.”
In her speech she mentioned the writings of the late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, who placed great value on “society.”
Sackman also stressed that despite the slurs from senior Tories over Starmer’s pledge to protect Friday night dinners, she also intended to honour the Jewish tradition as an MP.
A record number of Jewish MPs?

With more than half seats now declared, Sarah Sackman is the fifth Jewish MP to be elected tonight – all for Labour.
Damian Egan – Bristol North East
Mathew Patrick – Wirral West
Josh Simons – Makerfield
Peter Prinsley – Bury St Edmunds
Keir Starmer will be prime minister!
It’s official!
Keir Starmer will form the next government, Rishi Sunak tells his count. He confirms he’s already phoned Starmer to offer his congratulations
Luke Akehurst elected in North Durham
Luke Akehurst, who until now has served as the director of We Believe in Israel, is elected in North Durham with 16,562 votes and a majority of nearly 6000.
He tweeted: “I have a ne job. Can’t ait to get stuck into fighting for the wonderful people and communities of North Durham.”
The new iron lady! Sarah Sackman wins Finchley and Golders Green
Sarah Sackman has defeated the Tories’ Alex Deane in Finchley and Golders Green
https://x.com/lmharpin/status/1809065007033774401
This seat was held by Conservative former minister Mike Freer for the last 14 years before he announced his departure earlier this year amid abuse and an arson attack against his constituency office.
Finchley and Golders Green result incoming…
We’ll know if Labour’s Sarah Sackman has managed to end 14 years of Tory domination in Finchley and Golders Green in a matter of moments. She is taking on Alex Deane of the Conservatives
IDS retains Chingford and Woodford Green seat
Ex-Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith has retained his seat in Chingford and Woodford Green.
Labour opponent Shama Tatler was around 5000 votes behind the Tory candidate, whose vote was impacted by the decision of Faiza Shaheen to stand as an independent.
Shaheen was replaced as Labour candidate over social media posts including one of the Israel lobby.
Peter Mandelsohn reacts to Corbyn victory

Lord Mandelsohn, one of the architects of New Labour, tells BBC: “My only consolation is that Corbyn is not a Labour MP and never will be’
BBC revises projections: 160 majority for Labour
New projection from the BBC:
Labour – 405
Conservatives – 154
Lib Dem – 56
SNP – 6
Reform – 4
Green – 2
Corbyn re-elected as MP for Islington North.

Jeremy Corbyn has been re-elected as MP for Islington North.
Running as an independent Corbyn, who got 24,120 votes, easily beat his Labour opponent Praful Nargund, who got 16,874 votes.
Corbyn been an MP in Islington for more than 40 years.
He was blocked from standing for Labour by the party’s governing body after being suspended as a Labour MP in 2020 for his response to the EHRC report into antisemitism in the party.
Corbyn said his victory was a “resounding message” from the people of Islington who wanted “peace not war” in Gaza.
Nigel Farage wins at the 8th time of trying
Moments after Jeremy Corbyn wins, Nigel Farage triumphs in Clacton. He’s the second Reform MP of the night
Grant Shapps defeated: The Tories need a plan to return in 5 years, not 15

The former defence and transport secretary (and BBYO member) Grant Shapps becomes the first big scalp of the night, losing the once safe seat of Welwyn Hatfield to Labour.
He says: “It’s clear Britain will have a new government in the morning. Unless the government quickly commits to spending 2.5 percent on defence our armed forces will suffer and so will Ukraine.”
He adds: “What is crystal clear to me tonight is not so much that Labour won but the Conservatives lost it. Voters have been dismayed by our inability to iron our our differences in private. Today voters have simply said ‘if you can’t agree with each other than we can’t vote for you’. It’s a fundamental rule that people don’t vote for divided parties.”
Keir Starmer returned with 11,000 majority; Gaza candidate comes distant second

A strikingly relaxed Labour leader takes Holborn and St Pancras with just over 18,000 votes, promising to serve every constituent whether they backed him or not.
But his vote halved from 2019, in part down to a campaign to target him over his party’s position on Gaza which led to the independent Andrew Feinstein taking 7000 votes.
‘Exciting night ahead’

Reflecting on the exit poll giving the Lib Dems 61 seats, Lib Dem Friends of Israel chair Gavin Stollar said: “The exit poll reflects what Lib Dems have been hearing and seeing across the seats we have been campaigning in over the course of this campaign. Exciting night ahead.”
Galloway loses: ‘He’s repulsive. Galloway is repulsive. He’s repellent’

Just a few months after taking the Rochdale seat ‘for Gaza, George Galloway is no longer an MP after being defeated by Labour’s Paul Waugh.
A delighted former Labour leader reacts on the BBC, saying of the Worker’s Party leader: “He’s repulsive. Galloway is repulsive. He’s repellent”
Thirty percent of the electorate in Rochdale are Muslim
Labour facing ‘challenge’ to beat Corbyn in Islington North
Labour sources admit they face a “challenge” to secure victory over Jeremy Corbyn in Islington North.
Praful Nargund had shown to be ahead of Corbyn in several polls in the run up to the general election.
But activists working for the former leader flooded the north London constituency over the past week.
While the result is yet to be announced, Jewish News joined Labour activits on Thursday evening who were met with a mixed response on doorsteps.
Corbyn had been MP in the seat since 1983, representing Labour, until he lost the Labour whip over his response to the equality watchdog’s report into antisemtism in the party.
Expelled from Labour after announcing he was standing as an independent, Corbyn has long made Palestine one of his main campaign issues.
‘Ruthless Keir’s removal of Corbyn was deliberate attempt to detoxify party’
ITV’s political editor Robert Peston speaks of Keir Starmer as ‘possibly the most ruthless politician I’ve known’, highlighting his suspension of Jeremy Corbyn and later blocking his predecessor’s hopes of standing again for Labour. Peston says it was a ‘very deliberate’ attempt to detoxify the party
‘Very strong’ support for Christian Wakeford in Bury South
Sources up in Greater Manchester tell Jewish News there is clear evidence of a “very strong” vote for Labour canidate Christian Wakeford in Bury South.
Wakeford, who quit the Tories to join Keir Starmer’s party, is renowned as a staunch supporter of Israel.
Sources suggest Reform UK pushing the Tories close for second place at the count, in a seat with a large Jewish voter base.
Rabbi Arnie Saunders standing for the Conservatives in the seat.
What are Sir Martin Sorrell and other business leaders hoping for?
Sir Martin Sorrell, Linda Plant and other business leaders tell Jewish News what they’re hoping for from the new government
‘Looking good’ for Labour in all 3 Barnet seats, party sources claim
Very early days, but two Labour sources confide to Jewish News that it’s “looking good” for Keir Stamer’s party in all THREE Barnet seats.
Dan Tomlinson standing for Labour in Chipping Barnet. Sarah Sackman in Finchley and Golders Green. David Pinto-Duschinsky in Hendon.
Quotes of the night so far
The General Election results and reactions are rolling in throughout the night – here are some of the best quotes so far:
“There’s no way of describing this as anything other than a bad night for the Conservative Party” – Former Tory minister Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg takes stock.
“As for the Conservatives, you know, it’s going to sound odd, there’ll be a bit of a sigh of relief, even though it’s the worst results since 1832 when the Duke of Wellington was running the Tory party. So this one feels more like the Tory party’s Waterloo, frankly” – Former Conservative chancellor George Osborne looks to history for parallels.
“Tonight the British people have spoken, and if the exit poll this evening is again a guide to results across our country as it so often is, then after 14 years the British people have chosen change” – Labour’s Bridget Phillipson after being declared the first winner of the night.
“It’s the biggest comeback since Lazarus” – Former Labour leader Lord Neil Kinnock.
“Anyone who looks at the rise of Reform will see that what we’re doing is breaking political history. I’ve said this before, everyone said that in that Brexit result, ‘you won’t do it’, we changed history, we’re about to change history once again” – David Bull, Reform’s deputy leader.
“The Conservative Party is the natural party of government and has been in this country for many long years, and so we will be very ruthless about it, we will certainly be very forensic about it” – Former Tory minister Dame Andrea Leadsom.
Take-off for Barnet election count
The election count for the three Barnet seats is being held this time at the RAF Museum in Colindale, and Jewish News has just arrived to bring you regular updates.
It makes for an interesting location – especially as results for the Finchley and Golders Green, Hendon and Chipping Barnet seats not expected until at least 4.30am.
Party officials tight lipped at the moment. But wins in all three seats would be the icing on the cake for Keir Starmer on a night his party is heading for a landslide victory.
Barnet was the scene of a famous local council win for Starmer’s party in 2022, and a vindication for his bid to root out antisemitism from the party.
Votes in all three large seats are currently being counted.
Oliver Dowden’s Reform UK challenger in Herts: Voters will get fed up with Labour
Reform UK’s challenger to Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden has predicted voters are “going to get fed up” of Labour and “look for something different”.
Darren Selkus, standing in Hertsmere, Hertfordshire, said: “People are voting for Labour because they’re not the Conservatives and everything’s going to change for the better.
“When it doesn’t change for the better whether that’s in six months, one year, two years, eventually people are going to get fed up and look for something different and that’s when I hope that they recognise that Reform UK have the ideas to change the direction and make a difference.”
Asked about the next five years of politics, Mr Selkus said he expects “mass immigration, more of it, high taxes, more of it”.
He added: “Labour obviously are going to win, they’re not going to increase VAT, income tax or national insurance but they’re going to increase every other tax that there is.”
Sadiq Khan: ‘In my wildest dreams I didn’t think we would be here’
London mayor Sadiq Khan tells BBC News: “Sir Keir made us believe he could do this. There have been some wobbly moments. In my wildest dreams I didn’t think we would ever be here.
Lord Neil Kinnock: ‘It’s the greatest comeback since Lazarus!’
Lord Neil Kinnock said the exit poll’s prediction of a Labour landslide was “the greatest comeback since Lazarus”.
The former Labour leader told ITV News: “A gain of 208, according to the exit poll, which is attributable directly to Keir Starmer and what he’s achieved in four years, two of which of course were during the lockdown, or the virtual lockdown when the one thing that opposition leaders depend on – contact with the public – was absent.
“It’s the biggest comeback since Lazarus.”
He went on: “I must say I’m just ecstatic about the fact that an entirely dependable, fully grown-up guy, Keir Starmer, and his wife, are going to go through that door tomorrow. I have unalloyed and unreserved delight.”
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage: ‘This, folks, is huge!’
“This, folks, is huge”, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has said in response to the early boost for his party after it pushed the Tories into third place in two early constituency results.
On a video posted to X, formerly Twitter, he said: “It’s midnight, there are two results in from the north-east of England that put Reform on 30% of the vote, that is way more than any possible prediction or projection. It is almost unbelievable.
“And what does it mean? It means we’re going to win seats, many many seats I think right now across the country.
“But to watch the TV coverage it’s almost comical. There’s not a single representative on there from Reform UK, mainstream media are in denial just as much as our political parties.
“This is going to be six million votes-plus. This, folks, is huge.”
George Osborne: This is the Conservative’s Waterloo

Former Conservative chancellor George Osborne has described the exit poll prediction of the Tories’ worst performance on record as the party’s “Waterloo”.
Reacting to the exit poll, he told ITV News: “As for the Conservatives you know, it’s going to sound odd, there’ll be a bit of a sigh of relief, even though it’s the worst results since 1832 when the Duke of Wellington was running the Tory party, so this one feels more like the Tory party’s Waterloo, frankly.
“We’re going to see a load of people lose their seats, household names of those who follow politics, household names.
“And it’d be a huge mistake to take a lot of comfort from this, but there were people thinking, and the polls were suggesting, it could be an extinction night for the Tory party, an extinction level event, and the Tory party would never come back.
“I think there’ll be a lot of Conservatives saying we can come back and then the final point; the second big story of the night is Reform. They have entered the palace, the Palace of Westminster.”
Mike Freer reflects on 14 years as MP for Finchley and Golders Green
Finchley and Golders Green is set to welcome its first new MP since 2010.
Here, Mike Freer, who has stepped down, looks back at what he achieved and contemplates what was still left to do.
OPINION: I will continue to be a friend and advocate for the Jewish community
Will the Bagel Belt turn red?
We’re not expecting results from the blue Bagel Belt of Finchley & Golders Green, Hendon and Chipping Barnet for several hours. Dan Tomlinson, Labour’s candidate in Chipping Barnet, and his team were still knocking on doors with just an hour left of voting in a bid to turn the constituency red for the first time in its history.
Wes Streeting toasts Labour unity since dark days of Corbyn
Wes Streeting said Labour “didn’t choose the unity of the graveyard” after its 2019 defeat but had “some fights and some arguments” internally over the direction it would take.
Appearing alongside Dame Andrea Leadsom on BBC News, the shadow health secretary said: “I’m afraid the reason why the Conservative Party has been swept out is because it’s been a clown show and people are paying a heavy price for it.
“The reason the Labour Party has been in the position it’s in is because we’ve changed. And we didn’t choose the unity of the graveyard either after 2019 – we had some fights and some arguments to reconnect the Labour Party with the people we lost and the people we need to win over to form a majority.
“The Conservative Party – I mean, I actually don’t care about the Conservative Party – their problem not mine.
“We’ve got to clear up the mess of the Conservative Party, just like the Downing Street cleaners had to clean the vomit up after Boris Johnson.”
Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg ‘53% chance of losing seat’
Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg’s seat is “too close to call”, exit polls said.
There is a 53% chance Labour gains Somerset North East and Hanham, in which the former leader of the Commons stood.
Thank you to our friends…
As we wait for the first results to come come in, let’s remember that while we’ll be welcoming many new friends to Parliament, we’ll also be saying farewell to others.
Perhaps most prominently is Mike Freer, who has held Margaret Thatcher’s former seat in Finchley and Golders Green for the last 14 years but is stepping down after facing years of threats and even an arson attack on his constituency office. When he announced his decision earlier this year, the much-loved former minister listed his lobbying of David Cameron for more funding for security at Jewish institutions as one of his greatest achievements.
Also vacating Parliament is the recent chair of Labour Friends of Israel, Steve McCabe, who has pushed for more funding for civil society projects between Israel and Palestinians and for the proscription of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards.
The former Chancellor and Home Secretary Sajid Javid is also saying farewell. Few will forget his speech at the Conservative Friends of Israel’s annual lunch several years ago when he said that if he ever decided to live in the Middle East that Israel would be his destination.
Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt’s seat ‘too close to call’

Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt’s seat is “too close to call”, according exit polls.
Ipsos UK found there is a 70% likelihood Labour gains Portsmouth North and a 25% chance the Conservative Party holds it.
Reform UK beats Tories into third place in Houghton and Sunderland South
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK came second in Houghton and Sunderland South, beating the Tories into third place.
Reform UK candidate Sam Woods-Brass received 11,668 votes to Conservative candidate Chris Burnicle’s 5,514.
Labour’s shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson won the constituency with 18,837 votes, achieving just over 47% of the vote share and a majority of 7,169.
Britain’s first elected MP is… Labour’s Bridget Phillipson
Sunderland South wins the hotly-contested race to declare first and with it, Britain has its first MP of the Parliament in Bridget Phillipson. She is now likely to become Education Secretary.
Phillipson visited JFS earlier this year where she spoke exclusively to the JN’s Lee Harpin. She said at that time that she didn’t feel laws were strong enough to fight rising hate against Jewish students.
Bridget Phillipson: ‘Tories have made it more difficult to tackle antisemitic hate’
Grant Shapps ‘94% likely to lose his seat to Labour’
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps will lost his seat to Labour, according to an exit poll.
There is a 94% chance the Labour Party take Welwyn Hatfield, Hertfordshire, Ipsos UK’s exit poll for Sky News, BBC and ITV News said.
Farage has ‘likelihood of 99%-plus to become an MP’
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage will be the MP for Clacton, the exit poll suggests.
It is Mr Farage’s eighth attempt to become an MP, having failed on each previous attempt.
The exit poll by Ipsos UK for Sky News, the BBC and ITV News, said Reform UK have a likelihood of 99%-plus to gain the seat in Essex.
Lord Mandelson: ‘An electoral meteor has struck planet Earth’
Lord Mandelson has said he is “gobsmacked” by the exit poll and the scale of the forecasted Labour victory.
He also said Rishi Sunak “is not Superman”.
Lord Mandelson told the BBC: “I think that an electoral meteor has now struck planet Earth.
“Nobody in 2019, nobody would have imagined this was possible and they and the team and all the people who’ve won this campaign deserve absolutely every piece of credit that’s coming their way.”
David Lammy says he fully expects to be foreign secretary if exit poll accurate
The shadow foreign secretary was asked on Sky News about rumours that Douglas Alexander could “give you a run for your money” to be foreign secretary.
Douglas Alexander, who held a number of cabinet roles during the Labour governments of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, has not been an MP since 2015 but is standing this year in Lothian East, Labour’s top target in Scotland where the SNP is defending a majority of 2,207.
“I have seen the tittle tattle in some parts of the right wing media, but I’ve got to tell you, in preparing potentially for Government, preparing for NATO, preparing for the European Political Community, with war in Europe and huge problems in the Middle East, this is a very serious role.
“Of course I’ll serve wherever Keir Starmer wants me to but I do fully expect to be foreign secretary if we get across the line.”
Lib Dems in Finchley?
BBC projecting that Finchley and Golders Green will go Lib Dem, completely against projections of both Labour and the Tories. An error based on the relative success of the then Lib Dem candidate Luciana Berger in 2019?
Moment Labour’s former deputy leader Tom Watson learned of election landslide
Former Labour deputy leader Tom Watson looks on in amazement as the Exit Poll results predicts a landslide for his party at the general election.
Jewish News joined Baron Watson of Wyre Forest at one of several election parties taking place in central London this evening.
Earlier Watson had joined Labour activists in Islington North campaigning for the party’s candidate Praful Nargund against Jeremy Corbyn.
Despite the Exit Poll prediction for Labour nationally, Jewish News understands the result in Islington North is likely to be close.
Exit poll: Labour landslide of Blair proportions
Campaigning is over and the exit poll has Labour on 410 seats and the Conservatives on just 131 seats. The Lib Dems are up to 61 seats and Reform are on 13
Only a huge error in the exit poll can now prevent a landslide for Sir Keir Starmer
Just 5 mins to go…

Welcome to Jewish News’ through the night (ish) rolling blog as Britain decides who will rule the country for the next five years.
We’re expecting the exit poll in just 15 mins – and remember the result in 2019 was remarkably close to the final result. Back then, there was a nationwide exhaling of breath as the exit poll revealed a a big majority for the all-conquering Boris Johnson, and the start of the end of Corbyn.
What a difference four and a half years make! Having succeeded Corbyn, Keir Starmer made it his first priority to rid Labour of antisemitism ‘by its roots’. Since then, even the sceptics would recognise that Starmer could hardly have done more, even if questions persist about his decision to serve under his predeecessor.
But a poll last week by JPR suggested he’d succeeded in that first aim – with 46 percent saying they planned to back Labour compared to just 30 percent for the Conservatives.
More British Jews voting Labour rather than Tory at general election, survey shows
Margaret Hodge given peerage as dissolution honours list announced
Just 10 minutes before the election polls close, but a well deserved peerage for Dame Margaret Hodge, the Jewish former MP, has been confirmed by Downing Street tonight.
Hodge, a former culture minister and former chair of the public accounts committee, was on the Labour nomination list.
Former PM Theresa May is also deservedly on the Conservative Party’s dissolution honours list.
“I feel humbled, honoured & delighted to be asked to go into the House of Lords,” former JLM parliamentary chair said in response to her peerage.
“Having immigrated here as a young girl, neither I nor my parents would have ever dreamt that I would become a Peer of the Realm.
“I am looking forward to continuing my commitment to public service.”
Elderly residents given chance to cast their votes with support from Jewish Care
Jewish Care is providing support for elderly or disabled residents at its homes to enable them to cast their votes in the general election.
Outside the Otto Schiff care home in Golders Green a special bus took residents to the polling station on Thursday.
The charity also helped those with mental illnesses join millions of other Brits in cast their vote in the 2024 election.
Leaders from all the main political parties were photographed voting at their local constituencies, ahead of the 10pm poll deadline.
Jewish News will be providing updates throughout the night as results start to come in.
Yvette Cooper condemns intimidation of Labour candidates by pro-Palestine activists
Labour’s Yvette Cooper has condemned the harassment of Labour candidates and canvassers by activists claiming to be supporting the Palestinian cause.
The shadow home secretary spoke out about “intimidation, abuse and harassment” as online social media clips from areas including Bethnal Green in east London and Birmingham’s Ladywood district showed Labour candidates being followed and taunted by pro-Palestine campaigners.
Labour’s Shabana Mahmood reportedly called in police on two occasions over the weekend to complain about being harassed while out canvassing.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
-
By David Gross
-
By Brigit Grant
-
By Laurent Vaughan - Senior Associate (Bishop & Sewell Solicitors)
-
By Laurent Vaughan - Senior Associate (Bishop & Sewell Solicitors)