Put David Miliband in a roomful of a Jewish leaders and you would expect the odd sharp word to fly.

Less than a month ago he uncanned the worms by suggesting that the Conservatives had got into bed in Europe with little better than the Polish and Latvian equivalents of the BNP. Cue outraged Tories, whispers of protest from the Board of Deputies, more outraged Tories, and members of the Jewish Leadership Council upset with the Board for upsetting the Conservatives.

Then came last Friday’s resolution on the Goldstone report into Gaza at the UN when the British delegate’s finger curiously missed the voting button.

But the Foreign Secretary enjoyed a friendly reception when he came to dine on Monday. He was among 100 top Jews at a party to fete former Board and JLC leader Henry Grunwald — whom Mr Miliband saluted as a model of menschlichkeit.

Politics was definitely off the menu, I am told, and all was peaceful over the poussin and pavlova.