A leading Jewish critic of Israel

Gerald Bernard Kaufman was born on June 21, 1930, the descendant of a family of Polish Jewish immigrants.

The son of a tailor, he was educated at Cowper Street Council School, Leeds, Leeds Grammar School and Queens College, Oxford.

When Labour regained power from Edward Heath in 1974, Kaufman became under secretary, environment and a year later was promoted to minister of state, industry.

He was the only leading Labour figure who had the courage to tell Michael Foot that he ought to quit as leader in 1983.

Kaufman became one of the leading Jewish critics of Israel.

He once called for economic sanctions and an arms ban against Israel, describing the country as a “pariah” and its senior politicians “war criminals”.

In 2002 he created a BBC television documentary, The End Of The Affair, in which he recounted his youthful infatuation with Israel and his eventual disillusionment.

He became the longestserving MP, taking the title of Father of the House of Commons in 2015 when Conservative MP Peter Tapsell retired.