The Guardian publishes JVL letter in defence of Jackie Walker
The letter, signed by six members of Jewish Voice for Labour, defends Jackie Walker following her expulsion from Labour last week
The Guardian has published a letter signed by six members of Jewish Voice for Labour in defence of expelled Labour activist Jackie Walker.
The six signatories are Graham Bash, Leah Levane, Helen Marks, Jonathan Rosenhead, Glyn Secker, and Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi.
The letter, published yesterday, criticises the Guardian for reporting criticisms levelled at Walker as part of the newspaper’s coverage of her expulsion last week.
The letter criticises its report of remarks made by Walker about Holocaust Memorial Day as being “selectively edited”.
“What your report does not say is that the accusation against Walker was based on selectively edited (and widely misquoted) footage leaked from a session at which participants had the right to expect confidentiality,” the letter says.
“Not mentioned is Walker’s view, consistently explained, that Holocaust commemoration should also include victims of genocide that predate the Nazi era.”
Describing the IHRA working definition of antisemitism as “contentious”, it adds: “All of us raised objections to its use by the trainers, the pro-Israel Jewish Labour Movement.”
“Walker issued a statement ahead of her expulsion, describing the seriously flawed process that has allowed racist commentary on her person to form part of the evidence against her,” it continues.
Walker was kicked out of the Labour Party over charges of making comments which were “grossly detrimental” to the party.
She was initially disciplined three years ago after saying “many Jews were chief financiers of the slave trade”, before being readmitted after an investigation and suspended again in 2016.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
