Britain should pursue partnerships with Israel in hi-tech and creative industries in open defiance of the boycott movement according to Culture Minister Ed Vaizey.

Chancellor George Osborne robustly defended the decisions of his colleague, Education Secretary Michael Gove, when he addressed the annual Community Security Trust dinner on Wednesday night.

Mr Gove recently came under fire over his decision to make funding available for security for Jewish schools through grants given via the CST.

French prosecutors announced on Wednesday that they had opened a formal investigation into a Nazi-themed stag party.

The Community Security Trust and Department for Education have defended Education Secretary Michael Gove following criticism of his role in awarding government funding to the Jewish organisation while also acting on its advisory board.

A Holocaust survivor, a Nobel physicist, a Hollywood actress, a poet and fundraisers for charities as diverse as CST and Asylum Aid are some of the Jewish names on the 2012 New Years Honours.

Founding chair of the CST Gerald Ronson receives a CBE for his charitable work. His wife, Gail Ronson, also known for her active charity work, especially for Jewish Care, was made a dame in 2004.

The political year ended with the miserable spectacle of two members of Parliament being forced to apologise to the Jewish community for their actions: one for peddling the ancient antisemitic libel of the "dual loyalty" of Jews; the other for attending a Nazi-themed stag party.

There was much discussion in Westminster circles about who was worse: Labour's Paul Flynn for accusing the UK's first