It is not often that you get Gordon Brown and David Cameron to agree on anything, but both felt they wanted to mark an important milestone for the Jewish community. In 1858, Lionel de Rothschild became the first Jewish MP, and 150 years later representatives of all the main parties attended a lunch last Thursday at the House of Lords to mark the anniversary.

Brown turned up for the lunch thrown by Lord Rothschild and Nathaniel Rothschild (although he did not speak — he was obviously saving his voice for his trip to Israel). Representing the Opposition were Cameron and shadow Foreign Secretary George Osborne.Rabbi Julia Neuberger was among the Lib Dems. Elder statesman Lord Janner and historian Simon Sebag Montefiore also put in  appearances.