List of British Jewish politicians

List of British Jewish politicians is a list that includes Jews and people of Jewish descent who served as politicians in the United Kingdom and its predecessor states or who were born in the United Kingdom and had notable political careers abroad.

British MPs

"British Members of Parliament listed chronologically by first election date (in brackets)"

Pre-1900

* Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield (1837) [http://www.britannia.com/bios/disraeli.html] , Conservative Prime Minister (family converted to Anglicanism)
* Lionel de Rothschild (1847, admitted 1858) [http://www.rothschildarchive.org/tools/forprint.asp?doc=/ib/articles/BW4aTimeline] , Liberal MP, first practising Jew to be elected an MP
* David Salomons (1851, admitted 1858) Liberal MP, first Jewish Sheriff and Lord Mayor of London, first Jewish magistrate (JYB 2005 p.203)
* Mayer Amschel de Rothschild [http://www.jewishsports.com/jewsin/history/horsehistory.htm] (1859) Liberal MP
* Sir Francis Henry Goldsmid (1860) [http://www.rothschildarchive.org/ib/?doc=/ib/articles/BW3bGoldsmid] , MP for Reading, first Jewish barrister
* Frederick David Goldsmid (1865) [http://www.rothschildarchive.org/ib/?doc=/ib/articles/BW3bGoldsmid] , MP for Honiton
* Sir Julian Goldsmid (1866) [http://www.rothschildarchive.org/ib/?doc=/ib/articles/BW3bGoldsmid] , MP for Honiton, Rochester (1870), St. Pancras South (1894)
* Sir George Jessel (1868) [http://24.1911encyclopedia.org/J/JE/JESSEL_SIR_GEORGE.htm] , Solicitor General for England and Wales, later Master of the Rolls; first Jewish minister
* Farrer Herschell, 1st Baron Herschell, Conservative MP, later Lord Chancellor (1874) (family converted to Anglicanism) [Jewish Encyclopedia]
* Henry Drummond Wolff [http://www.jgsgb.org.uk/download/LibraryList.doc] (1874)
* Arthur Cohen [Concise Dictionary of National Biography: "first professing Jew to graduate at Cambridge"] , Liberal MP (1880)
* Henry de Worms, 1st Baron Pirbright [http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk/DServe/dserve.exe?dsqIni=Dserve.ini&dsqApp=Archive&dsqCmd=show.tcl&dsqDb=Persons&dsqPos=57&dsqSearch=((text)='jewish')] , Conservative MP 1880
* Samuel Montagu, 1st Baron Swaythling (1885) [http://www.montaguemillennium.com/familyresearch/h_1911_samuel.htm] , Liberal MP and banker.
* Sir Edward Sassoon Bt., (1889) Liberal Unionist Party MP for Hythe ("The Times", May 25, 1912)
* Sydney Stern, Baron Wandsworth (1891) MP for Stowmarket JYB 5657 (1896-7) p102
* Gustav Wilhelm Wolff [http://www.culturenorthernireland.org/article.aspx?county=14&articleID=1890&cultID=25&townID=0&cultSubID=0&page=0&navID=5] (1892) MP for East Belfast and founder of Harland and Wolff

1900-1939

* Herbert Samuel, 1st Viscount Samuel (1902) [http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/samuel.html] , Liberal cabinet minister & leader
* Rufus Isaacs, 1st Marquess of Reading (1904) [http://www.heraldica.org/topics/jewish.htm] , Liberal cabinet minister & Viceroy of India. The only British Jew to be elevated to a Marquessate.
* Alfred Mond, 1st Baron Melchett (1906) - JYB 1911 p297; Encyclopaedia Judaica 12:241-2
* Edwin Samuel Montagu (1906) [http://www.montaguemillennium.com/familyresearch/h_1924_edwin.htm]
* Frank Goldsmith Conservative M.P. for Stowmarket (1910) JYB 1911 p297
* Trebitsch Lincoln (1910) [http://www.ucalgary.ca/~elsegal/Shokel/040620_Trebisch.html]
* Sir Percy Alfred Harris, Liberal MP (1916) [Obituary, "Jewish Chronicle", 4 July 1952]
* Arthur Samuel [ [http://www.heraldica.org/topics/jewish.htm#titled-uk Jewish Heraldry] "As noted above, Sir Nathaniel Rothschild was the first Jewish peer in 1885. Later peers include Rufus Isaacs (baron 1914, viscount 1916, marquis of Reading 1926), Samuel (viscount Bearsted in 1925), Herbert Samuel (viscount Samuel 1937), Montagu Samuel-Montagu (baron Swaythling in 1907), Jessel (baron Jessel in 1924), Mond (baron Melchett in 1928), Samuel (baron Mancroft in 1937), Nathan (baron Nathan in 1940), Silkin (baron Silkin in 1950)." Accessed 28 November 2006.] , Conservative M.P. (1918)
* Manny Shinwell, Baron Shinwell (1884-1986) (1922) [http://www.booksourcemonthly.com/index.htm?recent0112.shtml] , Labour cabinet minister & Chairman
* Leslie Haden-Guest ["the first Jewish Labour candidate, Captain Haden-Guest": "Jewish Chronicle" March 11 1966, page 8] , Labour MP
* Leslie Hore-Belisha, 1st Baron Hore-Belisha (1893-1957) (1923) [http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/2WWbelisha.htm] , Liberal National cabinet minister
* Harry Louis Nathan, 1st Baron Nathan of Churt (1929) Liberal, later Labour MP [ [http://www.heraldica.org/topics/jewish.htm#titled-uk Jewish Heraldry] see Arthur Samuel]
* Barnett Janner (1931), Labour MP [Concise Dictionary of National Biography: "Jewish leader"]
* Dudley Joel (1931), Conservative MP [Jewish Chronicle July 25 1941, p.12, "Jews in the Navy"]
* Sydney Silverman (1935) Labour MP 1935 [Concise Dictionary of National Biography: "of Jewish parentage"]
* Lewis Silkin, 1st Baron Silkin (1936), Labour cabinet minister: Encyclopaedia Judaica vol 14 cols 1539-1540; father of John Silkin and Samuel Silkin

1940-1973

* John Diamond, Baron Diamond (1945), Labour cabinet minister and SDP leader in the House of Lords (The Independent (London); 06/04/04)
* Maurice Edelman (1911-1975) (1945) [Concise Dictionary of National Biography: "son of Jews who had emigrated from eastern Europe"] , Labour MP
* Harold Lever, Baron Lever of Manchester (1914-1995) (1945) [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_19950809/ai_n13999432] , Labour MP
* Ian Mikardo (1908-1993) (1945) [http://ian-mikardo.biography.ms/] , Labour MP
* Phil Piratin (1945) [http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:MWOVH85SkhgJ:www.channel4.com/history/microsites/L/lostgeneration/worldwide/race1.html+%22Phil+Piratin%22+looking+back&hl=en&gl=ca&ct=clnk&cd=1] , Communist Party MP
* Samuel Segal (1945), Labour MP and later Deputy Speaker of the House of Lords
* Leslie Lever; Labour Baron Lever (1950)
* Sir Gerald Nabarro (1950) [ [http://www.guardian.co.uk/religion/Story/0,,200475,00.html Guardian, Saturday October 23, 1999] ] , Conservative MP
* Sir Henry d'Avigdor-Goldsmid (1955) [Oxford Dictionary of National Biography: "Harry, as he was always called, united both in blood as well as name the vitality, attitudes, and temperaments of two Jewish banking dynasties"]
* Keith Joseph, Conservative cabinet minister and life peer (1956) (JYB 1988 p192, 227)
* Sir Philip Goodhart (1957) [Flade, Ronald. The Lehmans: From Rimpar to the New World: A Family History, 2nd Enlarged Ed., 1999; reviewed by the [http://www.ajhs.org/about/Newsletter/2003_spring/AJHS_newsletter_spring_03.pdf?bcsi_scan_22F071C7F07ABBC7=0&bcsi_scan_filename=AJHS_newsletter_spring_03.pdf American Jewish Historical Society] . Accessed 14 Nov 2006.] , Conservative MP and minister
* Leo Abse (1958) [http://www.jewishgen.org/JCR-UK/community/wales/How_Greeners_came_to_the_valley.htm] , Labour MP & social reformer
* Myer Galpern (1959) [http://www.zoominfo.com/people/galpern_myer_200261688.aspx] Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means
* John Silkin (1963), Labour cabinet minister (JYB 1986 p186, 269)
* Joel Barnett (1964), Labour cabinet minister and life peer (JYB 2005 p212)
* Edmund Dell (1964) [http://www.guardian.co.uk/obituaries/story/0,,258907,00.html] , Labour cabinet minister & founding chairman of Channel 4
* Reginald Freeson (1964), Labour minister (JYB 2005 p212, 241-2)
* Robert Maxwell (1964), Labour MP for Buckingham, subsequently proprietor of the "Daily Mirror"
* Samuel Silkin, Labour cabinet minister and life peer (1964) - JYB 1986 p185, 269-70
* Paul Rose 1964-79 Labour M.P. and Oppostion frontbencher.
*Eric Moonman (1966), Labour MP (JYB 2005 p279)
* Robert Adley [ [http://www.guardian.co.uk/religion/Story/0,,200475,00.html Guardian, Saturday October 23, 1999] ] (1970), Conservative MP
* James d'Avigdor-Goldsmid [ [http://ajcarchives.org/AJC_DATA/Files/1989_9_WestEurope.pdf American Jewish Year Book, 1989] ] (1970), Conservative MP
* Sally Oppenheim-Barnes (1970), Conservative MP (JYB 2005 p.212, 282-3)
* Michael Fidler [Obituary, "Jewish Chronicle", September 8, 1989, p.18] , Conservative MP
* Greville Janner (1970) [http://www.ejpress.org/article/news/eu-israel_affairs/5137] , Labour MP, now life peer
* Sir Gerald Kaufman (1970) [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/1874459.stm] , Labour minister
* Sir Anthony Meyer (1970), Conservative MP, leadership candidate ["Spectator", 2/12/1989 p5: "Sir Anthony ... is a representative of the enlightened "haute juiverie"]
* Neville Sandelson Labour & SDP(1971)
* Sir Clement Freud (1973) [http://www.hampsteadtheatre.com/prod-productions_details.asp?pid=35] , Liberal MP

1974 -

* Leon Brittan, Baron Brittan of Spennithorne (born 1939) (1974) [http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:XzpA5Q3kRvMJ:jrep.com/Columnists/Article-93.html+%22David+Horovitz:+Not+Just+Anti-Semitism%22&hl=en&gl=ca&ct=clnk&cd=1] , Conservative cabinet minister, European Commissioner
* Helene Hayman (1974), MP / Life Peer (JYB 2005 p212)
* Nigel Lawson, Baron Lawson of Blaby, Conservative cabinet minister and life peer (1974) - JYB 2005 p212
* Millie Miller (1974) ["Jewish Chronicle", October 18, 1974, p.5: List of Jewish MPs] , Labour MP
* Sir Malcolm Rifkind (1974) [http://www.juf.org/news_public_affairs/article.asp?key=4569] , Conservative cabinet minister
* Alf Dubs (1979) [http://www.recomnetwork.org/articles/02/09/19/208227.shtml] , Labour MP and life peer
* Harry Cohen (1983) [http://www.jfjfp.org/signatories.htm] , Labour MP
* Edwina Currie (1983) [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2291467.stm] , Conservative minister
* Michael Howard (1983) [http://politics.guardian.co.uk/conservatives/comment/0,9236,1074831,00.html] , Conservative cabinet minister & Leader of the Opposition from 2003 to 2005
* Barbara Roche (1992) [http://politics.guardian.co.uk/redbox/turncoats/page/0,9472,460784,00.html] , Labour minister
* Margaret Hodge (1994) [http://education.guardian.co.uk/faithschools/story/0,13882,1592814,00.html?gusrc=rss] , Minister of State for Industry and the Regions
* John Bercow (1997) [The Spectator Mar 20, 1999; online here [http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3724/is_199903/ai_n8837341] ] , Conservative MP
* Louise Ellman (1997) [http://www.ejpress.org/article/news/3663] , Labour MP
* Fabian Hamilton (1997) [http://www.obv.org.uk/elec2001/areaprof/leedsne.html] , Labour MP
* Evan Harris (1997) [http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:k1_hIAu-_jQJ:jewish-telegraph.com/nat_2.html+%22Evan+Harris%22+Jewish&hl=en] , Liberal Democrat MP
* Oona King (1997) [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/04/11/nelec211.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/04/11/ixnewstop.html] , Labour MP (1997-2005), second black female MP (Jewish mother), niece of Miriam Stoppard
* Oliver Letwin (1997) [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4276497.stm] , Conservative shadow cabinet member, Chairman of the Policy Review & Chairman of the Conservative Research Department
* Ivan Lewis (1997) [http://www.prestwichadvertiser.co.uk/news/s/218/218891_shock_over_mp_marriage_split.html] , Minister of State for Health
* David Miliband (2001), Labour Party policy chief & Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs ("Jewish Chronicle", 12/5/2006 p7: "Jewish MP David Miliband")
* Lynne Featherstone (2005), Liberal Democrat MP (Evening Standard (London); 11/04/05; ANDREW GILLIGAN; p. 16)
* Susan Kramer (2005) Liberal Democrat MP for Richmond Upon Thames
* Ed Miliband (2005) [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,19809-1591534,00.html] , Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. Brother of David Miliband and son of theorist Ralph Miliband.
* Lee Scott (2005) ["Jewish Chronicle", 7 Dec 2006, p.5: "The Jewish Conservative MP for Ilford North"] , Conservative MP
* Grant Shapps (2005) Conservative MP for Welwyn Hatfield

Peers

* Alma Birk, Baroness Birk ["Encyclopaedia Judaica", art. Politics: "Four women were among the first ten Jews to be made life peers: Dora Gaitskell, Beatrice Serota, Alma Birk and Beatrice Plummer"] , Labour politician
* Anna Gaitskell, Baroness Gaitskell ["Encyclopaedia Judaica", art. Politics: "Four women were among the first ten Jews to be made life peers: Dora Gaitskell, Beatrice Serota, Alma Birk and Beatrice Plummer"] , Labour politician
* Peter Goldsmith, Baron Goldsmith [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/Printer&cid=1100147299159&p=1006953080001] , [http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/page.cfm?objectid=11674035&method=full&siteid=50061] , Attorney General
* Arnold Goodman, Baron Goodman [http://www.liberaljudaism.org/education_anglo_jewry.htm] , solicitor
* Lord George Gordon, politician (converted) [Concise Dictionary of National Biography: "became a Jew"]
* Sydney Jacobson, Baron Jacobson, newspaper editor [Oxford Dictionary of National Biography: "the only son and elder child of Samuel and Anna Jacobson, a Jewish couple"]
* Immanuel Jakobovits, Baron Jakobovits, Chief rabbi
* Michael Levy, Baron Levy - JYB 2005 p212, 270
* Edward Levy-Lawson, 1st Baron Burnham [http://books.google.com/books?id=NagdhSUgB9oC&pg=PA356&lpg=PA356&dq=%22edward+levy+lawson%22+jewish&source=web&ots=BMO6L_MzJA&sig=P3EZkn3LWLlAI6AWO9Rmw1Y5jxQ] , newspaper proprietor
* Frederick Lindemann, 1st Viscount Cherwell, [ [http://jewish-sci-tech-books.com/personalities.htm Jewish Science and Technology Books] , accessed 20 Feb 2007.] scientist and Government minister
* Benjamin Lloyd Stormont Mancroft, 3rd Baron Mancroft, Conservative hereditary peer
* Beatrice Plummer ["Encyclopaedia Judaica", art. Politics: "Four women were among the first ten Jews to be made life peers: Dora Gaitskell, Beatrice Serota, Alma Birk and Beatrice Plummer"] , Labour politician
* Samuel Segal (1964), Deputy Speaker of the House of Lords
* Beatrice Serota, Baroness Serota ["Encyclopaedia Judaica", art. Politics: "Four women were among the first ten Jews to be made life peers: Dora Gaitskell, Beatrice Serota, Alma Birk and Beatrice Plummer"] , Labour politician
* David Triesman, Baron Triesman [http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:hgz0tatHo0IJ:www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FQP/is_4557_130/ai_79029911+%22David+Triesman%22+Jewish&hl=en&gl=ca&ct=clnk&cd=10] , Labour peer and Junior Minister
* Leslie Turnberg, Baron Turnberg, Physician
* Lord Leonard Wolfson (JYB 2005 p212)
* Harry Woolf, Baron Woolf [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2995692.stm] , Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales 2000-2006

Other

* Hilda Bernstein [http://www.jewishsf.com/content/2-0-/module/displaystory/story_id/13601/edition_id/263/format/html/displaystory.html] Anti-apartheid activist
* Tony Cliff [http://www.tidsskriftcentret.dk/index.php?id=518] , (né Yigael Gluckstein) Palestinian-born Marxist theorist and founder of the Socialist Workers Party
* Gerry Gable [http://www.aijac.org.au/review/1999/242/gable.html] , communist activist & publisher of "Searchlight" magazine
* Nicky Gavron [http://www.mediainfocenter.org/story.asp?story_id=89867247] , Deputy Mayor of London
* Sir James Goldsmith, founder of the Referendum Party
* Victor Gollancz [http://www.victor-gollancz-grundschule.de/htm_schule/victor-gollancz_engl.htm] , publisher and political activist
* Ted Grant [http://www.guardian.co.uk/obituaries/story/0,,1831024,00.html] , (né Isaac Blank) South African-born Marxist theorist and founder of the Militant Tendency
* Sidney Hart, Trade Unionist (Obituary, Jewish Chronicle, 15/04/05, p40)
* Chaim Herzog [http://www.jafi.org.il/education/100/people/BIOS/herzog.html] , Israel's sixth president, born in Belfast and known as Vivian Herzog during, and after, his tenure in the British Army
* Lou Kenton, International Brigade volunteer
* Norman John Klugmann [Concise Dictionary of National Biography: "son of Jewish parents"] , aka James Klugmann, communist
* Minnie Lansbury ["Jewish Chronicle", April 13, 2007, p.6: "a Jewish suffragette, councillor and socialist"] , suffragette and alderman
* Eleanor Marx, daughter and secretary of Karl Marx:"His beloved daughter Eleanor, however, who acted as his secretary, considered herself Jewish, took interest in her ancestors, and had a warm appreciation for the Jewish workers in the East End of London." Encyclopaedia Judaica, art. Marx, Karl Heinrich.
* Ralph Miliband (1924-94) [http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/HISmiliband.htm] (né Adolphe Miliband) Belgian born Polish-Jewish Marxist theorist and father of David and Ed Miliband.
* Dame Shirley Porter [http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=329823] , Lord Mayor of Westminster 1991-92
* Larry Sanders [https://www1.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/leeds/2003/07/273999.html?c=on] , Green Party politician
** His son Jacob is also a Green Party politician
* Sir Julius Vogel [http://www.jewishaz.com/jewishnews/990813/down.shtml] , Prime Minister of New Zealand
* Walter Wolfgang [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/09/29/uwolfgang.xml&sSheet=/portal/2005/09/29/ixportaltop.html] , a founder of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament

References

Footnotes

Bibliography

* JYB = Jewish Year Book (annual)
* "Obituary: Sir Edward Sassoon". "The Times", Saturday, May 25, 1912; pg. 11; Issue 39908; col C.

ee also

*List of Scottish_Jews#Political_figures
*History of the Jews in England
*History of the Jews in Scotland
*History of the Jews in Wales
*History of the Jews in Ireland
*Lists of Jews
*List of Jewish Fellows of the Royal Society
*List of British Jews
*List of Britons