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Celebration for winners in the north, but chaos for voters in north London

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Zac Goldsmith, the Conservative candidate for London Mayor, was widely accused of running a "divisive" campaign following his defeat to Sadiq Khan.

Mr Goldsmith, whose grandfather Frank was Jewish, lost by 994,614 votes (43.2 per cent) to Mr Khan's 1,310,143 (56.8 per cent).

Critics, including from his own party, attacked Mr Goldsmith for focusing on Mr Khan's sharing of platforms with speakers with extremist views.

Lee Eli Harris, mayoral candidate for the Cannabis is Safer than Alcohol party, the only Jewish candidate in the race, received 20,537 votes (0.8 per cent), more than the far-right British National Party candidate, who polled 13,325 votes (0.5 per cent).

In Bury, 22-year-old politics student Oliver Kersh was elected as a Tory councillor, beating longstanding Labour councillor Debra Green in the Pilkington Park ward in the Jewish area of Whitefield.

Mr Kersh, a member of the local synagogue, said: "I stood for election because I wanted to give something back… I could make a difference in the community that I've grown up in. I just want to do the best job I possibly can."

He said that Jewish voters in the area had turned away from Labour as a result of the antisemitism crisis engulfing the party. "The feeling on the doorstep from many of the Jewish voters, was that they don't have trust or confidence in Labour," he said.

Also in Bury, 31-year-old accountant David Silbiger won the Sedgley ward, which has a large Jewish population, for the Tories, winning by 60 votes from sitting Labour councillor Andrea Simpson .

He said: "I am grateful and humbled by the support shown to me during the election campaign culminating in a very close win. I thank everyone who voted for me and look forward to serving all my constituents regardless of political affiliation to the best of my ability."

Former Hendon Labour MP Andrew Dismore won the Barnet and Camden seat in the London Assembly. Mr Dismore thanked Jewish voters in the area for backing him despite the antisemitism crisis engulfing his party.

Hundreds of people in Barnet - including Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis and his wife Valerie - were turned away from polling stations as a result of administrative errors. The chief executive of Barnet council stepped down in wake of the row. An investigation has been launched by the council.

In Moortown, the heart of Leeds' Jewish community, Jewish Labour Movement member Alex Sobel was elected to the city council with a majority of 2,168 from the Conservative candidate.

● The Liberal Democrat Pary confirmed that former MP David Ward has been reminded of the party's stance against antisemitism.

Mr Ward, who was elected to Bradford Council, had backed antisemitic comments made by Bradford Labour MP Naz Shah. Following his win Mr Ward tweeted: "Credit to #NazShah for raising important issue of #US support for rogue State of #Israel".

Ms Shah was suspended by her own party last month for suggesting Israeli Jews should be deported to the United States.

A Yorkshire Lib Dem spokesman said: "David has been reminded of his obligations as an elected official, and the party's commitment to reject antisemitism."

Mr Ward had the party whip removed in 2013 after he accused "the Jews" of "inflicting atrocities on the Palestinians".

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