As the dust settles on the British general election Jewish politicians are faced with mixed fortunes.

Britain’s most prominent Jewish politician, Michael Howard, won seats for the opposition Conservative party he heads, but failed to make the political breakthrough into government.

Prime Minister Tony Blair took Labour into a record third term, but his Commons majority was slashed by around 100, and the Conservatives emerged from the contest with an extra 36 seats.

The day after the vote, held on 5 May, Howard announced that he will not be leading his party into the next election in four years.

Speaking in Putney where he made his first speech as party leader exactly 18 months ago, Howard declared: "At the time of the next election I will be 67 or 68, and I believe that’s simply too old to lead a party into government."

This week Howard admitted that he does not intend to stay in the position after the end of this year, opening the debate over who will take over the leadership.

Jewish Wins

One of the major candidates is fellow Jew Sir Malcolm Rifkind who was elected MP for Kensington and Chelsea after eight years out of parliament.

He was this week given a front bench job shadowing David Blunkett at the department for work and pensions.

Aside from the issue of Conservative leadership, many Jewish members of parliament were celebrating success on Friday morning.

Shadow chancellor Oliver Letwin increased his majority in the face of a stern challenge from the Liberal Democrats in the Dorset West constituency.

Labour’s Louise Ellman, one of the most vocal supporters of Israel in the House of Commons, comfortably retained her Liverpool Riverside seat.

Jewish women displaced

However two of Labour’s prominent Jewish women were displaced.

Former minister Barbara Roche lost out to the Liberal Democrats in Hornsey, while Oona King lost her Bethnal Green and Bow seat to former Labour MP George Galloway of the Respect party.

King had fought a tough campaign against Galloway, a vocal supporter of the Palestinians, which included an incident where she was pelted with vegetables.

Other wins included those for two Conservative MPs, John Bercow and Jonathan Djanogoly, who were handed another term by voters in Buckingham and Huntingdon.

The Liberal Democrats doubled their number of Jewish members to two. Evan Harris was re-elected and Susan Kramer retained the Richmond Park seat vacated by controversial Jenny Tonge.