What connects the UK and Israeli elections?

Labour lost in both, obviously.

But the reasons why are currently being pored over in both countries.

According to an American pollster who worked with the Labour parties in the UK and Israel, the main reason is nationalism.

Writing for the Politico website, Stanley Greenberg said prime ministers David Cameron and Benjamin Netyanahu had remained in their jobs by playing the nationalism card - against the SNP and Arab parties respectively.

But he warned that both men had achieved victory at the cost of slimmer majorities (although in Cameron's case he now leads a government of entirely his own making) and national unity.

The lesson from Israel and from the UK, unfortunately, is that playing the nationalist card works electorally. It does not work so well for the nation.

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