The Jewish community has lost one of its best parliamentary friends, Andrew Dismore, who failed to hold his Hendon seat in north-west London by just 106 votes.

But could he have squeaked home if he had gone to knock on doors in Israel?

World Zionist Organisation activist Martin Stern, who commutes between London and Jerusalem, offered to fly him there to canvas expat Brits entitled to vote in the general election.

But the Labour MP said he did not have time for a foreign foray close to the election.