The political consultant of the Conservative Friends of Israel, Robert Halfon, has become an MP in Harlow after a 10 year campaign to enter Parliament.

Mr Halfon benefited from a 5.9 per cent swing from Labour to the Conservatives, beating his Labour opponent, former Armed Services Minister Bill Rammell, by 4,925 votes.

Mr Halfon, who was brought up in North London, previously told the Jewish Chronicle that his background would help him be an MP, saying: “Being Jewish helps you to be an MP because of the Jewish tradition of tzedakah, meaning charity and service to others. That is exactly what being an MP is, and a large part of why Jews have been successful in political life.”

Post-election, he told the JC that he would do all he could on the issue of universal jurisdiction. He said: "This is a priority, I will do what I can with my colleagues to get the law changed on this so that democratic politicians are not arrested when they get to the UK".