Follow our live blog for the Jewish angle on the 2024 General Election – blow by blow, all night
July 4, 2024 20:30Hello and welcome to the Jewish Chronicle’s coverage of the results of the UK’s general election.
We will bring readers updates of all the night’s ongoing developments as they come in.
07.21 JC Politics Editor David Rose has written a report on the success of The Muslim Vote - bad news for Israel-supporters in the Labour party.
06.20. Ben Coleman wins Chelsea & Fulham for Labour
The new Jewish MP beat Tory minister Greg Hands by just 152 votes. Coleman is deputy leader of Hammersmith and Fylham Council.
6.18 Good morning
If you’re just waking up, Labour has won the general election, putting Keir Starmer into 10 Downing Street as Prime Minister. Sir Keir’s wife, Victoria is Jewish, making her the first Jewish occupant of 10 Downing Street (Disraeli, of course, was baptised as a Christian).
Prominent Jewish losers include Conservative ministers Grant Shapps and Lucy Frazer.
Jewish winners for Labour include new MPS Josh Simons in Makerfield, Sarah Sackman in Finchley and Golders Green, and Peter Prinsley in Bury St Edmonds.
The Israel/Gaza conflict had a big impact, despite George Galloway losing his Rochdale seat. Jeremy Corbyn won Islington North, and independent candidates won in Leicester South, Dewsbury and Batley and Blackburn.
06.08. Charlotte Nichols holds Warrington North
The Labour MP beat Reform to hold the seat.
Thank you to everyone in Warrington North who put their trust in me and in @UKLabour, as we have now officially passed the threshold to form the new Government. Whether you voted for me or not, I am here in your service and that work continues afresh tomorrow! 🌹 pic.twitter.com/uGC8uRVE5f
— Charlotte Nichols (@charlotte2153) July 5, 2024
06.03: Jenrick hangs on
Former immigration minister Robert Jenrick, whose wife is Israel and who some are tipping as a future Conservative Party leader, held onto his Nottinghamshire seat of Newark. Some opinion polls suggested he was under threat.
The results of the Newark constituency have been announced. Robert Jenrick has won the seat in Newark receiving 20,968 votes. Further information will be available on our website shortly https://t.co/r8Oet70YiS
— Newark and Sherwood District Council (@NSDCouncil) July 5, 2024
05.57: Jewish Culture Secretary defeated
Lucy Frazer, the culture secretary has lost her Ely and East Cambridgeshire constituency to the Liberal Democrats.
Charlotte Cane topped the ballot with 17,127 votes, Frazer came second with 16,632
🔶Liberal Democrats GAIN Ely and East Cambridgeshire
— Liberal Democrats (@LibDems) July 5, 2024
Congratulations Charlotte Cane MP pic.twitter.com/feUNZes6f7
05.34: Labour gain Chipping Barnet
Labour’s Dan Tomlinson has defeated former Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers.
He has become the first Labour MP for the seat ever, it has always been represented by a Conservative since 1974 when it was created.
BREAKING: Labour gain Chipping Barnet from the Conservatives. Ex minister Theresa Villiers loses her seat. pic.twitter.com/QtYSIiTbr4
— Charlotte Gallagher (@CM_Gallagher) July 5, 2024
05.24: Hertsmere and Bury South
Earlier in the night, Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden comfortably held onto his Hertsmere seat, the constituency with the second largest number of Jewish voters in the country.
Labour’s Christian Wakeford won a big victory in Bury South.
Result from Bury South
— Bury Council (@BuryCouncil) July 5, 2024
1️⃣Christian Wakeford - Labour
2️⃣Arnie Saunders - Conservative
3️⃣Jeff Armstrong - Reform UK
For all the latest results follow along at:https://t.co/xHnjTfQT6n pic.twitter.com/XaoliMJNc2
05.16: Victorious Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer addresses Labour activists
🚨 BREAKING: Keir Starmer's victory speech
— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) July 5, 2024
"We did it.... change begins now"
"I will govern for every single person in this country" pic.twitter.com/8qb1CQVAiX
04.43: Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt hold seats
Rishi Sunak told the audience in his North Yorkshire constituency that he had called Sir Keir Starmer to concede defeat.
Both he and Chancellor Jeremy Hunt held onto their seats.
04.32: Labour win in Finchley and Golders Green
Labour’s Sarah Sackman has been elected as the new MP for Finchley and Golders Green.
The north London marginal is the parliamentary constituency with the largest number of Jewish voters.
The barrister and member of the Masorti New North London Synagogue defeated the Conservatives’ Alex Deane.
She succeeds Mike Freer, the Conservative Justice Minister who held the seat for 14 years and stepped down following death threats and an arson attack on his local office.
Sarah Sackman has been elected the Member of Parliament for Finchley & Golders Green pic.twitter.com/uMHRIQJWr4
— Barnet Council (@BarnetCouncil) July 5, 2024
04.24: Damian Egan wins in Bristol
The Labour candidate, who is Jewish and married to an Israeli, has won the newly created seat.
Egan was first elected to Parliament at the Kingswood by-election in February this year. He previously served as mayor of the London Borough of Lewisham.
RESULT: Bristol North East
— Bristol24/7 (@bristol247) July 5, 2024
🟤Asif Ali (independent): 1,029
🔴Damien Egan (Labour): 19,004
🟢Lorraine Francis (Green): 7,837
🟡Louise Harris (Lib Dem): 1,964
🔵Rose Hulse (Conservative): 6,216
🟣Anthony Michael New (Reform UK): 5,418
🟠Dan Smart (TUSD Unionist): 399
04.20: New Jewish Labour MP in Merseyside
Matthew Patrick has been elected as the new MP for Wirral West.
He told the JC: “I’m delighted to be elected to represent the people of Wirral West in an amazing night for the Labour Party - this shows just how far we have come since 2019.
“People have demanded change for our country and we will work tirelessly to deliver it.”
@WIRRALGLOBENEWS Matthew Patrick (Labour) is elected MP for Wirral West #GeneralElection2024 pic.twitter.com/YTTNBcMU2D
— craig manning (@craigiemanning) July 5, 2024
04.06: Green gain in Bristol
Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer has defeated Labour’s shadow culture secretary Thangam Debbonaire in Bristol Central.
During the campaign, Denyer was criticised by Jewish former Labour MP Louise Ellman for using the Palestinian flag and images of destruction in Gaza in a batch of electoral literature.
WE DID IT!
— Carla Denyer (@carla_denyer) July 5, 2024
Bristol, we made history💚
Thank you so much to the people of Bristol Central who have elected me as their MP
As this city's first Green MP, I promise to be a strong, independent voice for Bristol's values, pushing the govt to be bolder on the issues that matter
04.04: Pro-Israel campaigner wins for Labour in North Durham
We Believe in Israel Director Luke Akehurst has been elected as the new member of Parliament for North Durham.
I have a new job. Can't wait to get stuck into fighting for the wonderful people and communities of North Durham as their Labour MP.
— Luke Akehurst (@lukeakehurst) July 5, 2024
04.02: Jewish surgeon in shock Suffolk win
Labour’s Peter Prinsley, who is Jewish, has pulled of a shock result in a constituency that has never been Labour before.
He defeated Conservative former No10 special adviser Will Tanner.
Hope is a brilliant thing. Thank you to the residents of Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket for your trust. Thank you to every volunteer who became part of this movement. Let the hard work begin! https://t.co/PsqyG2GwV5
— Peter Prinsley (@PeterPrinsley) July 5, 2024
03.53: Jewish Labour MP wins north west seat
Labour’s Josh Simons was the first Jewish MP to be elected on the night earlier this evening.
He told the JC: “I’m honoured to be elected as MP for Makerfield. The British people have voted for change. My job now is to deliver for working people in Makerfield. It will be an honour to serve.”
RESULT: Makerfield
— Wigan Council (@WiganCouncil) July 5, 2024
Turnout: 52.8%
EDM: 368
GRN: 1776
CON: 4379
REF: 12803
LAB: 18202
LIB: 2735
Josh Simons (Labour) elected #GeneralElection2024 pic.twitter.com/jkABMP5gU4
03.40: Shock Labour loss in Leicester
A key member of Labour’s frontbench has suffered a shock defeat. Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow paymaster general was defeated by an independent candidate in Leicester South.
Shockat Adam had made the war in Gaza a key issue of his election campaign.
Not part of partisan politics. That is why vote independent on July 4th. #shockatadam4leicestersouth #voteshockatadam pic.twitter.com/BW0QLAo4Ti
— Shockat Adam (@ShockatAdam) June 24, 2024
An estimated one third of voters in Leicester South are Muslim and Labour’s stance on Israel’s war with Hamas was said to have hurt their popularity among Muslim voters.
Labour vote is generally soaring but in Muslim areas it is down. The more Muslims there are in a constituency, the heavier the battering for Labour — because of one issue, its support for Israel. pic.twitter.com/GEMNrlwkwe
— Jake Wallis Simons (@JakeWSimons) July 5, 2024
03.30: Nigel Farage enters Parliament
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has been elected as the new MP for Clacton in Essex.
'This is just the first step in something that is going to stun you all'
— GB News (@GBNEWS) July 5, 2024
🚨 Nigel Farage has been elected in Clacton, declaring in his victory speech that he is 'coming for Labour'. pic.twitter.com/9KYVkoTEXB
03.25: Jeremy Corbyn wins
Former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn has defeated his former party in Islington North.
The veteran left-winger topped the ballot with 24,120 votes, Labour’s Praful Nargund came second with 16,873 votes.
03.10: Iain Duncan Smith survives
The former Conservative Party leader won his north east London seat of Chingford and Woodford Green. The former work and pensions secretary came first with 17,281 votes.
Corbynista Faiza Shaheen, who ran for Labour in 2019 but was blocked from standing for the party came third with 12,445 votes. Shama Tatler, a Jewish Labour Movement member who replaced Shaheen as the Labour candidate came second with 12,524 votes. Shaheen visibly shook her head as the votes were read out.
03.10: Grant Shapps out
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps, who is Jewish, has been defeated by by Labour in Welwyn Hatfield
Tory Defence Secretary Grant Shapps has lost to Labour in Welwyn Hatfield. pic.twitter.com/uH6eajPAFH
— Talk (@TalkTV) July 5, 2024
03.00: Labour leader holds seat
Sir Keir Starmer has been re-elected as the MP for Holborn and St Pancras.
In his victory speech the Labour leader called for a return to politics “as public service”.
"People here and around the country have spoken, and they're ready for change"
— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) July 5, 2024
Labour leader Keir Starmer celebrates his win in Holborn and St Pancras#BBCElection live https://t.co/o5I0nTWsEN pic.twitter.com/QrIDRzc0Ok
He faced a strong challenge from independent candidate Andrew Feinstein who came in second with 7,312 votes. Feinstein made the opposition to Israel’s war in Gaza a key element of his campaign.
02.45: Sir Ed Davey retains seat
Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey has been re-elected in Kingston and Surbiton
🔶Liberal Democrats WIN Kingston and Surbiton
— Liberal Democrats (@LibDems) July 5, 2024
Congratulations Ed Davey MP pic.twitter.com/p27fHxAVbK
02.30: George Galloway defeated
Labour’s Paul Waugh has defeated controversial anti-Israel MP George Galloway in the Greater Manchester seat of Rochdale.
George Galloway hasn’t turned up to his count in Rochdale.
— Darryl Morris 🇺🇦 (@darrylmorris) July 5, 2024
He is beaten by Labour candidate @paulwaugh. @TimesRadio pic.twitter.com/TpixYWnxoH
02.20: Lee Anderson retains seat
Reform UK have their first win of the night. Lee Anderson, who defected to Nigel Farage’s Party from the Conservatives, has retained his Nottinghamshire seat of Ashfield.
The former Tory Party deputy chair becomes the first Reform UK MP to win their seat at the ballot box.
I think the picture speaks for itself 🩵 pic.twitter.com/BWSlP1hfO7
— Lee Anderson - Reform candidate (@LeeAndersonMP_) July 5, 2024
02.05: Rachel Reeves re-elected
Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves has been comfortably re-elected to her West Yorkshire seat of Leeds West and Pudsey.
It is an honour and a privilege to be returned as the Member of Parliament for Leeds West and Pudsey.
— Rachel Reeves (@RachelReevesMP) July 5, 2024
You have put your trust in me.
And I will not let you down.
01.40: First Liberal Democrat gain of the evening.
The Lib Dems have gained the North Yorkshire seat of Harrogate and Knaresborough from the Conservatives. This evening’s exit poll put Sir Ed Davey’s party on course for the highest number of seats gained by the party in over a century (and 61 seats).
Harrogate and Knaresborough
— Britain Elects (@BritainElects) July 5, 2024
LDem: 47.7% (+11.5)
Con: 31.3% (-20.7)
Ref: 11.3% (+11.3)
Lab: 8.3% (-1.4)
LDem GAIN from Conhttps://t.co/YldsD9vxWw
01.20: Corbyn challenge
Labour sources have told the BBC that their fight against former leader Jeremy Corbyn “looks challenging”.
The veteran left-winger was blocked from standing for his former party and this briefing suggests the result in the north London seat of Islington North could be very close.
01.10: Labour hold Gateshead
Labour’s Mark Ferguson has won the new seat of Gateshead Central and Wickham in the north east of England.
The new seat contains most of Gateshead's Charedi population (the third largest Charedi community in the UK).
It’s a simple message but I like it pic.twitter.com/ebD9cjlMz4
— Mark Ferguson (@Markfergusonuk) June 19, 2024
01.02: Labour confident in Bury
Manchester Labour sources have told the JC that they expect to win Bury South and the Conservatives may even be pushed into second place.
Labour’s Christian Wakeford won the seat in 2019 as a Conservative, but defected to Labour in 2022.
00.50: Surprise in Chingford?
Could former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith survive the expected Tory wipeout? Several Labour sources have told the JC they think results in Chingford and Woodford Green will be incredibly close.
Corbynista Faiza Shaheen, who was Labour’s candidate in 2019 and barred from standing for the party this election, chose to stand as an independent candidate. There are concerns she may have peeled off enough votes to allow IDS to sneak through and survive.
00.15: Labour think they’ve won in heavily Jewish seats
A London Labour source has told the JC they think they’ve done enough to win in the north London seats of Hendon and Chipping Barnet. However, they think the result in Finchley and Golders Green, which has the most Jewish voters in the country, is going to be very close.
23.35: Second result of the night
Two down, 648 to go!
Ian Lavery, who served as Labour Party chair under Jeremy Corbyn, wins the newly created seat of Blyth and Ashington in the north east of England.
Like in Houghton and Sunderland South, Reform UK came second.
NEW: BLYTH & ASHINGTON
— Beth Rigby (@BethRigby) July 4, 2024
Lab: 20,030
Con: 6,121
Green: 1,960
Reform: 10,857
Lib Dem: 1,433
Reform again second.
23.15: First result of the night
One down, 649 to go!
Labour’s Bridget Phillipson becomes the first MP to be elected tonight.
She comfortably won her seat of Houghton & Sunderland South, Reform UK came second.
Houghton and Sunderland South and Labour's Bridget Phillipson win the unofficial race to be the first constituency to be called in the 2024 General Election pic.twitter.com/cKw5gJLha7
— ITV News (@itvnews) July 4, 2024
23.00: Tories: Exit Poll is “projection, not a result”
A conservative spokesperson said: “This is a projection, not a result, so it’s important we wait to see the actual results come in.
“But if these results are correct it is clear that Starmer and Angela Rayner will be in Downing Street tomorrow. That means your taxes will rise and our country will be less secure.
“It’s clear that based on this result we will have lost some very good and hardworking candidates. There is a long night ahead and we should wait to see the shape of the government that the people have chosen. We will know soon enough.”
22.45: JC Snapshot analysis:
Champagne corks will be popping and chants of “Things can only get better” will be ringing out at Labour HQ in reaction to the exit poll, which predicts a landslide to rival that of Sir Tony Blair.
What does the result mean for seats that matter to the Jewish community?
If the exit poll is correct, it is hard to see defence secretary Grant Shapps – a former president of BBYO – holding onto his Welwyn Hatfield constituency.
The results for the Conservatives were bad, but not as apocalyptic as many had feared. Yesterday’s MRP poll by Survation suggested that they would get 68 seats but the exit poll estimates they will get double that.
This is still their worst defeat since 1832, but one of the small comforts means that Oliver Dowden, the Deputy PM, will probably hold onto his Hertsmere constituency, the seat with the second largest number of Jewish voters.
Christian Wakeford looks set to hold his Bury South constituency against the challenge of the Conservatives’ Rabbi Arnold Saunders.
Labour may well have done enough to win in Hendon and Chipping Barnet Finchley and Golders Green – the seat with the most Jewish voters in the country – may be just beyond the reach of the Conservatives.
22.22: Reaction from Sir Keir Starmer:
The Labour Party leader is set to lead his party into Downing Street, ending 14 years of Conservative government.
To everyone who has campaigned for Labour in this election, to everyone who voted for us and put their trust in our changed Labour Party - thank you. https://t.co/q6yDNPnAbo
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) July 4, 2024
22.18: Former Scottish Conservative leader reacts:
Ruth Davison reacts to the exit poll which suggests her party are on course for their biggest defeat since 1832.
"This is a massacre."
— Sky News (@SkyNews) July 4, 2024
Former leader of the Scottish Conservatives @RuthDavidsonPC reacts to the exit poll.https://t.co/UyZUj3K3qy
📺 Sky 501, Virgin 602, Freeview 233 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/Oy6zs5Xd9b
22.12: Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey speaks:
Reacting to the exit poll, the leader of the Liberal Democrats said: “The Liberal Democrats are on course for our best results in a century, thanks to our positive campaign with health and care at its heart.
“I am humbled by the millions of people who backed the Liberal Democrats to both kick the Conservatives out of power and deliver the change our country needs.
“Every Liberal Democrat MP will be a strong local champion for their community standing up for the NHS and care. Whether you voted for us or not, we will work day in and day out and we will not let you down.”
22.00 EXIT POLL: The Labour Party is set to win a landslade majority according to the exit poll conducted by broadcasters.
🚨 EXIT POLL 🚨
— Paul Brand (@PaulBrandITV) July 4, 2024
Labour set to win historic landslide, as Tories head for worst result since 1832.
CON 131
LAB 410
LIB DEM 61
REFORM 13
SNP 10
21.40: While we wait for the exit poll (due at 22.00), the JC has created a guide of key moments to look out for tonight.
The first result is expected at around 23.30.
The first Jewish MP of the night could be elected at around 1.00.
At 2.30 we will know the result in George Galloway’s Rochdale constituency.
At around 3.00 we are expecting results from Jeremy Corbyn’s seat of Islington North.
Jewish Defence Secretary Grant Shapps will discover his fate at around 3.45
At around 4.00 we find out results from Rishi Sunak, Sir Keir Starmer and Nigel Farage’s seats, we will also find out the result from Bury South.
From around 5.30 the results from all three Barnet constituencies (Finchley and Golders Green, Hendon and Chipping Barnet) are expected.