Boris Johnson has told an audience of hundreds of Conservatives that Britain and Israel “must stand and work together”.

The Foreign Secretary addressed around 300 people at the Conservative Friends of Israel’s biggest-ever party conference reception in Birmingham on Tuesday evening.

Mr Johnson was joined by ministers including Business Secretary Greg Clark, International Trade Secretary Liam Fox and Communities Secretary Sajid Javid.

The session was also addressed by Mark Regev, Israel’s ambassador to Britain, at his first Tory conference.

Mr Johnson told the crowd about his experience of attending Shimon Peres’s funeral last week.

He said “the best days” lie ahead in the relationship between Britain and Israel, and quoted Mr Peres, adding: “‘Count your dreams and your achievements. If your dreams are bigger than your achievements then you are young. If your achievements are bigger than your dreams then you are old’.

“I put it to you that Britain and Israel are both countries where our dreams are still bigger than their achievements. Our best days are ahead. We must stand and work together. Britain, Israel and Conservative Friends of Israel can build those dreams together.”