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What does it all mean for the 2015 general election?
As the European results came in on Sunday, Mr Farage suggested he could be the potential kingmaker in the event of a hung Parliament.
The prospect will send a chill down the spine of David Cameron and Ed Miliband and be of acute concern to the Jewish voters who clearly rejected Ukip at the ballot box last week.
The failure of the party’s Jewish candidates in Salford and in northwest London suggest any claims of growing support for Mr Farage within Anglo-Jewry were misplaced.
As one Ukip candidate apparently admitted, the party fares poorly among “educated, cultural” voters in London, Manchester and other multicultural cities. Mr Farage’s “People’s Army” is unlikely therefore to recruit a great number of Jewish foot soldiers.
In contrast, Labour has seen a resurgence of support in the London boroughs of Barnet, Redbridge and Brent.
Barnet’s Labour activists may have been disappointed at not gaining control of the borough, but the influx of Labour councillors is likely to boost Andrew Dismore’s chances of winning back the Hendon constituency he lost to Tory Matthew Offord by just 106 votes in 2010.
In the neighbouring constituency of Finchley and Golders Green, MP Mike Freer will also face a stiff challenge from Labour’s Jewish candidate Sarah Sackman. But his majority of over 5,800 should ensure he holds on, unless Ed Miliband records a national landslide victory.
Lee Scott’s majority of 5,404 in Ilford North, faces a huge challenge from Labour’s Wes Streeting, who is likely to appeal to Jewish supporters by raising his past backing for Israel.
He won’t be the only one. Politicians of all persuasions will fall over themselves to promote their policies as being friendly to Jews and Israel. Prepare to be love-bombed.
Marcus Dysch is the JC’s political correspondent
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