Who is Jackie Walker?
Jacqueline Walker, born on April 10, 1954, is a British political activist and writer with a diverse background. She has worked as a teacher and an anti-racism trainer, and she is the author of a family memoir titled “Pilgrim State.” Additionally, Walker has co-written and performed in a one-woman show called “The Lynching.” She held leadership positions as Vice-Chair of South Thanet Constituency Labour Party and Vice-Chair of Momentum before facing suspension and eventual expulsion from the Labour Party due to allegations of misconduct.
Background: Jackie Walker’s family background is characterised by mixed Jewish and African ancestry. Her mother, Dorothy Brown, was a black Jamaican Sephardi Jew with a complex lineage, including a Portuguese Jewish ancestor who arrived in the West Indies during Christopher Columbus’s time and a female slave who converted to Judaism upon marriage. Walker was born in Harlem, New York City, in 1954. She, along with her mother and stepbrother, were deported to Jamaica in 1956, a move attributed to McCarthyism. In 1959, they relocated to London, where her mother faced racial discrimination and struggled to find employment. Walker’s childhood was marked by poverty, overcrowded living conditions, racism, and time spent in care homes or with foster families. Her mother battled severe depression and illness throughout her life. Tragically, Walker’s mother passed away when Jackie was 11 years old, leading to her placement in care homes and eventually permanent fostering.
Career: Jackie Walker initially pursued acting, participating in the National Youth Theatre. However, she decided to become a teacher and attended Goldsmiths College. Despite becoming a mother during her first year of studies, she returned to complete her education while juggling motherhood. Her teaching career included working with emotionally and behaviorally disturbed young people in a pupil referral unit.
Walker earned an M. Phil. degree, focusing on the development of identity in the work of Black British writers. She received an Arts Council England grant to complete her family memoir, “Pilgrim State,” which was published in 2006 and used as part of social worker training at Brunel University London.
In addition to her teaching career, Jackie Walker has been actively involved in anti-racism training and charity work. She has a long history of anti-racist activism and political engagement, contributing to educational materials and writing training manuals on anti-racism.
Labour Party Involvement: Jackie Walker joined the Labour Party in 1981 and became Vice-Chair of the South Thanet Constituency Labour Party. She played a significant role in the campaign to prevent the election of UKIP leader Nigel Farage in the 2015 general election. Walker also served on Momentum’s Steering Committee, eventually becoming its vice-chair in September 2015. She was a member of Jewish Voice for Labour (JVL).
However, her membership in the Labour Party was marked by controversy. She was suspended and later expelled from the Labour Party in 2019 due to allegations of “prejudicial and grossly detrimental behaviour against the party.” Despite her expulsion, Walker retained her membership with Jewish Voice for Labour (JVL).
Investigations and Comments: Jackie Walker faced two investigations within the Labour Party. The first investigation occurred after comments were made on her private Facebook account in which she discussed the Holocaust and the African holocaust. While these comments led to her suspension, the party decided not to proceed with disciplinary action.
The second investigation stemmed from remarks she made during a training session on antisemitism for party members held by the Jewish Labour Movement. Her comments led to her second suspension, and the party referred her case to the National Constitutional Committee. Following her disciplinary hearing in March 2019, Walker was expelled from the Labour Party.
Throughout these investigations, Walker’s comments and perspectives on historical events, particularly regarding the Holocaust, the African holocaust, and Jewish involvement in the slave trade, generated significant controversy and criticism from those with a Zionist axe to grind.
Talk Shows, Films, and Activism: Jackie Walker has been involved in various public events, talks, and performances related to her experiences and political views. She has spoken on topics like Palestine, free speech, and Israel’s actions in the Middle East. Walker has also performed in a one-woman show titled “The Lynching.”
She was prominently featured in the 2017 TV series “The Lobby,” and The Labour Files produced by Al Jazeera, which examined pro-Israel organisations and individuals in the UK.
Additionally, a documentary film titled “The Political Lynching of Jackie Walker,” sponsored by Jewish Voice for Labour, premiered in 2018. The screening of another documentary film called “Witch Hunt,” addressing accusations of antisemitism in the Labour Party, was scheduled but faced controversy and cancellations.
Activism and Political Views: Jackie Walker is known for her advocacy of Palestinian rights, criticism of Israeli policies toward Palestinians, and support for the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement. She is associated with organisations like Jews for Justice for Palestinians and the Palestine Solidarity Campaign. Walker has expressed the view that opposition to a Jewish state is a legitimate political position and that her opposition is rooted in political principles rather than antisemitism.
She was a strong supporter of Jeremy Corbyn during his leadership of the Labour Party and defended him against accusations of antisemitism, viewing these allegations as politically motivated.
Personal Life: Jackie Walker holds both American and British citizenship. She identifies as Jewish and has described herself as an anti-Zionist. Her partner is also Jewish, and she has emphasised that being critical of Israel’s policies does not equate to antisemitism. Walker was raised Catholic for a portion of her childhood.
She has several siblings and three children. In 2010, Walker relocated from London to Broadstairs, Kent, where she lives with her partner, Graham Bash, the editor of Labour Briefing.
Jackie Walker nails it
Here, Jackie thanks Novara Media for admitting they were wrong during the witch hunt but suggests much has to be learned. Apologising when the situation is relatively calm is easy. Standing up for and with those who are being unfairly attacked needs to occur when it is at its zenith. Mistakes must be addressed for the future.
Jason Cridland
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