The UK has never had a Jewish Prime Minister.

Benjamin Disraeli was a British politician and writer, who twice served as Prime Minister under Queen Victoria (in 1868 and 1874-1880). He was a truly remarkable man. Disraeli played a central role in the creation of the modern Conservative Party, defining its policies and its broad outreach. Disraeli is remembered for his influential voice in world affairs, his political battles with the Liberal Party leader William Ewart Gladstone, and his one-nation conservatism or "Tory democracy". He made the Conservatives the party most identified with the glory and power of the British Empire. He is, at 2016, the only British Prime Minister of Jewish birth.

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75 Comments

wok

Disraeli, twice prime minister in the 19th century, was born into a British Jewish family in 1804. However, his father, Isaac D’Israeli, had all his children baptized in 1817 to improve their chances of social and professional advancement. As a result, Disraeli’s religious status is open to debate Jewish heritage baptized christian Not a Jewish PM

rghur

He converted to Anglicanism, so the answer to this question is debatable.

Maitham Kaivan

I'm right. Disraeli became Anglican at the age of 12 as his father had left Judaism following his dispute with his synagogue.

Scott Sumone

isn't it strange, that people that are Jewish are identified by their religion instead of their nationality?...How many lutheran pms have there been?...Anglican?....everyone in the Western world does it to Jews. I'm not Jewish....some of these personality quizzes say I am, but I'm not. I don't agree with Isreal either....that's another quiz.....

Jennifer Dyster

Trixie Pettman-South, unfortunately, religion has rather too much to do with politics in my country and in Britain so church schools are funded and the links are perpetuated. It's hard to take away privileges.

Jennifer Dyster

Read" Don't Mr Disraeli". It's a hoot. In order to advance in British society the Disraelis needed to be baptised as Christian. They were still described as Jewish though! Identity is many layered.

dlh

Actually knew this answer👏

Lesley (Dalrymple) O'Neil

Trixie Pettman-South, I think it’s just a matter of interest, nothing to do with his ability (or anyone else’s) as PM.

Lesley (Dalrymple) O'Neil

That’s not fair! He was born Jewish, and most people of Jewish heritage would say just changing him with a baptism wouldn’t make a difference!

whunnicutt

Disraeli was not Jewish while in office.

Lisa Rodrigues

Jan Collom, Changing your religion does not change your ethnicity. This question asks about a Jewish PM, not a PM who practiced Judaism.

Lisa Rodrigues

DIsraeli was born into a Sephardic Jewish family. Sephardi Jews, also known as Sephardic Jews or Sephardim, originally from Sepharad, Spain, or the Iberian peninsula, are a Jewish ethnic division. Ethnicity and religious affiliation are not the same.

Ed Nash

Not Jewish as a PM

Jan Collom

Badly worded question. Maybe should have asked "a Jewish born Prime Minister" as he was not Jewish when he was Prime Minister as he converted to Anglicanism when he was a teenager