Suspended Labour activist Jackie Walker says anti-Semitism claims are an attack on Jeremy Corbyn
2 min read
Suspended Labour activist Jackie Walker has suggested allegations of anti-Semitism made against members of the party are being orchestrated by opponents of Jeremy Corbyn.
Ms Walker suggested Israel, the right-wing press and the Conservatives were behind anti-Semitism claims that have dogged the party since Mr Corbyn became leader in 2015.
She was suspended by Labour in 2016 for claiming it would "be wonderful if Holocaust day was open to all people who experienced holocaust".
Ms Walker, who was also removed from her post as vice-chair of Momentum, had earlier caused outrage by claiming Jewish people were "financiers of the sugar and slave trade".
Her case followed the suspension of Ken Livingstone over his claim that Adolf Hitler was a supporter of Zionism "before he went mad and ended up killing six million Jews".
The former mayor of London was found guilty of bringing the party into disrepute by a disciplinary panel last year, and suspended for another 12 months.
Speaking at a protest outside Labour HQ in central London, Ms Walker suggested that Jeremy Corbyn’s political opponents were behind the anti-Semitism allegations.
She said: "This so-called problem in the Labour party with anti-Semitism has only happened in the last two years. It’s nonsense. This is a politically-based campaign against those on the left.
"I think it’s being driven by a number of interests. I wouldn’t put my finger on any one set of people…
"I think it’s both within and outside the party. I mean we know for example that in the last few years Israel has financed an anti-BDS [Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions] campaign against activists like me by millions.
"We also know, for example, that the right-wing press – really known for its care in terms of anti-racism – have become absolutely focussed on this issue.
"We also know that the Tory party – even in the debate last week on Holocaust Memorial Day, they brought it up. Now if that’s not politicising anything, what is it?"
Taking aim at Labour’s national executive committee over its disciplinary procedures, she added: "There’s whole constituencies that have been suspended on the most flimsy of evidence. Individuals have been suspended on the most flimsy of evidence.
"And their data has been leaked to the press, not just from the Labour party offices but from NEC meetings. It is an outrage.”
Ms Walker is currently doing a one-woman show on her experience entitled The Lynching.
PoliticsHome Newsletters
PoliticsHome provides the most comprehensive coverage of UK politics anywhere on the web, offering high quality original reporting and analysis: Subscribe
