Politicians from the three main parties in British politics have offered their Chanucah wishes to the Jewish community.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg paid tribute to "powerful message of liberation from oppression and the importance of religious freedom" at the heart of the Chanucah story. He said the tale of the oil burning for eight days was a reminder of the "great resilience of the Jewish people".

Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, co-chairman of the Conservative Party, suggested that the festival of lights was "a time for people of different faiths to come together and look to 2012 with renewed hope".

She added: "This is a festival where we can all celebrate the triumph of hope over adversity, and in these difficult times, take inspiration from the messages of light, hope and kindness, which are such a big part of the Jewish faith."

Labour leader Ed Miliband sent his wishes for a "happy and healthy Chanu c ah" and said that the Chanucah story was a reminder "that even when times are hard, we should never lose hope.

"It is also a good opportunity to reflect on the values at the core of Judaism," he said. "Values of justice, compassion, and care for the poor and the needy – and to think about how we can act on them in our daily lives, helping to give hope to those around us."