'We breathe easily now' — Jewish community reacts with relief to Corbyn's defeat

She said: “We couldn’t believe it, a big shiver went through all of us at the thought Johnson could win by so much. It was the first time our youngest, who’s 13, has shown any interest in politics at all.

"We did pour a gin and tonic and all watched it through to 3am. I’m not a big lover of Boris, it was just that I definitely didn’t want Corbyn,” Ms Miller added.

Ellie Phillips, who runs academic journals and lives in Sheffield, also emphasised that she was not a Boris Johnson fan but was nonetheless delighted with the result.

“We were so happy. A massive sigh of relief… I’m a Remainer, but I don’t care because of the personal imminent danger that we felt. 
“It made you realise that the ‘smears and lies’ voices are just irrelevant, when it came down to it the majority of British people didn’t go for that or an extremist politician.”

Ms Phillips said that her feelings about the UK had very much been on the line in this election.

The fact that Mr Corbyn was in the running to be prime minister “made  me feel different about Britain. I have dual Australian nationality and I had made an appointment to go to there in February to renew my Australian passport. We were very seriously considering emigrating.

"We wanted to go for positive reasons, we didn’t want to do a big door slam because frankly no one would care — but we were totally serious.”

On election night, Ms Phillips said, “I came back from the pub, looked on Twitter and saw the exit poll. My husband had gone to bed but I said, right, you have to get up, we’re watching this — this is amazing. That was it, we sat there watching and drinking a bit…

"We just couldn’t believe it, we were just so happy with that exit poll and as the results started to come, it and backed up the poll.

“High Peak [constitituency], which has had trouble with antisemitism, went Conservative, and places around Sheffield went Conservative, which has never happened.”

Ms Phillips also pointed to a comment on election night by BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg that antisemitism had come up on the doorstep a great deal in northern constituencies where voters switched from Labour to Conservative.

“You just want there to be a big wake up call about this,” Ms Phillips said.

Former Labour member Tanya Charlton from Borehamwood, London, told the JC: “I am relieved yet incredibly sad to see the demise of the Labour Party.

“I cannot believe that this is what has happened to the party and we have been left with a one party British political system.  I am upset that I was ‘forced’ to vote Tory and hope that the Tories will not allow what happened to the Labour Party to ever happen again.

"I also hope that this spreads the message of any hate being unacceptable in any forms in the UK.”

Ms Charlton’s husband, Marc, also spoke of his relief at not being let down by British voters but emphasised his despair that the  political centre ground in the UK had beeen abandoned.

He said: “My first sense was utter relief, our fellow Brits had not let us down. A few moments later the reality of a BoJo government set in and the sombre mood returned.

“I pray that both parties find their way back towards the centre ground as our country desperately needs a responsible government and an opposition with integrity.”

Sue Lopes Dias, who lives in St Albans but whose constituency is Hitchen and Harpenden, said: “We wanted Boris to win. I can’t believe that there are people in this country who believe that there is a magic money tree.

"All the ‘free’ stuff would have to be paid for by the workers and corporations so that others get it for free! The country would be bankrupt in no time.”

Jonathan Rose, a marketing director from Altrincham, called last week’s poll the “worst election ever.”

He said: “As a remainer who has never voted Conservative, Labour have been my natural choice for decades. Staring at the ballot paper this time didn’t fill me with enthusiasm. This was about the least worst choice. Nothing positive to vote for.

“I’m a secular Jew, the Labour Party’s response to antisemitism was dreadful. Symptomatic of both moral and wider managerial weakness at  the heart of a party that appears more concerned with internal politics than the greater good.

Mr Rose had an equally dismissive view of the Prime MInister.

He said: “Boris is... dishonest, opportunistic — a clown. Vigour shouldn’t triumph rigour when running a country, and all I see is the empty vessel making the most sound.

“In the end I held my nose, voted Labour, in the knowledge that I’m in a safe Tory seat, my vote wouldn’t make the slightest bit of difference, but at least I’ve acknowledged the privilege of being able to vote...only five more years.”

Liz Kessler was similarly “devastated” by the result.

She said: “Yes there are definitely issues of antisemitism in the Labour Party. But to progressive Jews who care about social justice, the blatant racism (including antisemitism) within the Conservative Party -— and the fact that they have now been given such a large and enthusiastic mandate — can never be something for us to celebrate.”