That’s the self-confessed atheist’s choice, but his actions this week have exposed fellow Jews to unnecessary further risk both over the major festival period and in their everyday lives. This “proud Jew”, quite obviously with the approval of Prime Minister Andy Burnham, chose virtually the eve of Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashana, to announce trade sanctions on Israel.

Burnham is no stranger to the Jewish community (other than when it came to attending last week’s memorial service to the victims of the Heaton Park Synagogue terror attack, from which he conveniently absented himself), having been a regular guest at communal events during his tenure as Mayor of Manchester. He frequently spoke of the Jewish community in glowing terms, a community he has now effectively alienated and thrown under the proverbial bus.

Did it not occur to Messrs Miliband and Burnham that their gesture politics — for that is what the trade ban is — would further embolden Israel’s enemies (aka antisemites in so many cases) who masquerade as pro-Palestinian supporters? Fortunately the actual ban will have no noticeable effect on the Israeli economy, which, unlike Britain’s, is thriving. Fortunately, too, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not play tit for tat and implement his own trade reprisals. The Jewish state supplies Britain with at least 10 per cent of its prescription medication, much of it not available elsewhere, including vital cancer medication. Jerusalem also shares vital intelligence with this country and supplies high-tech.

Burnham and Co must be making Jeremy Corbyn extremely proud that they are carrying on his damaging work from which Sir Keir Starmer scarcely divorced himself where Israel was concerned. Their predecessors like Tony Blair and Gordon Brown must be watching in horror, while Harold Wilson must be turning in his grave when they see what Labour has become.

Meanwhile, the section of the electorate this government is seeking to impress, particularly with a by-election looming and the possibility of a General Election on the horizon, must be rejoicing that they have such supporters in such high places.

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