Jackie Walker is a British political activist, writer, and former teacher of Jamaican and Sephardic Jewish heritage. Defining herself as Black-Jewish, her activism sits at the intersection of anti-racism, anti-colonialism, and Palestinian rights. She is a founding member of Jewish Voice for Labour (JVL) and formerly served as Vice-Chair of Momentum, the grassroots movement established to support Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership of the Labour Party.
Walker became a central figure in the internal conflicts surrounding the British Labour Party between 2016 and 2019. She was suspended twice and ultimately expelled from the party in 2019 following public controversy over remarks she made regarding the historic trans-Atlantic slave trade and the inclusivity of Holocaust Memorial Day. Walker strongly rejected allegations of antisemitism, framing her suspension and subsequent media coverage as a “political witch-hunt” designed to undermine the Labour Left and weaken pro-Palestinian advocacy in the UK.
In response to her suspension and political battle, Walker authored and performed a one-woman theatrical show, The Lynx (also presented as The Lynching of Jackie Walker). The play uses monologue, music, and archival material to critique contemporary political discourse, media coverage, and identity politics in Britain. Her experiences were also documented in the 2019 feature film WitchHunt.
Walker remains an active writer and speaker within UK left-wing circles, regularly participating in anti-racism and anti-war demonstrations. She continues to argue that anti-Zionism is distinct from antisemitism, criticizing mainstream media and political apathy toward Palestinian suffering: “At a time when we are seeing the kind of images that should make anyone sick to their stomach in Gaza, there doesn’t seem to be any concern for the distress being caused about the injuries, massacres or torture of Palestinians.“