Jenny Manson is a veteran British Jewish activist, author, and former Labour councillor. She is the Co-Chair of Jewish Voice for Labour (JVL) and has long been dedicated to defending democratic rights and internationalism within the Labour Party.
Before entering full-time activism, Manson had a diverse professional career, serving as a senior tax official and later training as a psychotherapist. This multidisciplinary background allows her to approach complex social issues with both rigor and empathy. She edited the acclaimed book What it is to be Jewish Today, a collection of essays exploring how Jewish identity in the modern world aligns with the pursuit of universal justice.
In a famous 2017 BBC interview, she stood her ground against host Evan Davis, defending the rights of pro-Palestine Jews. She argued that criticizing Israeli policies must not be labeled as antisemitism, asserting that such manipulation of definitions aims to silence justice.
As Co-Chair of JVL, she has worked tirelessly to provide legal and moral support to hundreds of members suspended or expelled from the Labour Party for their pro-Palestine views. She has spearheaded multiple legal challenges against the party leadership to restore freedom of debate regarding Palestine.
Between 2023 and 2026, she organized nationwide seminars for trade unions and communities to explain the realities of apartheid in Palestine. She consistently links the Palestinian cause to anti-racist struggles in the UK, emphasizing the common roots of oppression.
A regular speaker at major London rallies, she has held numerous press conferences outside Parliament to question the legality of UK arms exports to Israel and to call for the recognition of a Palestinian state.
She recently left the Labour Party to join the new left-wing party, explaining, “What I care about is justice and support for the vulnerable. I’ve seen no justice and no support for the vulnerable.” This is also one of her representative statements.