Thelma Walker
Official portrait, 2017
Member of Parliament
for Colne Valley
In office
8 June 2017 – 6 November 2019
Preceded byJason McCartney
Succeeded byJason McCartney
Personal details
Born (1957-04-07) 7 April 1957
Political partyNorthern Independence Party
Other political
affiliations		Labour (1971–2020)
SpouseRob Walker (1983–)[1]
Children2
EducationMarple Hall Grammar School
Alma materManchester Polytechnic

Thelma Doris Walker[2] (born 7 April 1957) is a British politician, formerly the Labour Party Member of Parliament (MP) for Colne Valley from 2017 to 2019. Before her political career, she worked as a teacher for 34 years and later as an independent consultant.

In November 2020 Walker resigned from the Labour Party. In May 2021, she stood as an independent candidate endorsed by the Northern Independence Party (NIP) in the 2021 Hartlepool by-election and lost her deposit.

Early life and teaching career

Born on 7 April 1957, Walker attended Marple Hall Grammar School in Manchester, England. She graduated in 1978 with a bachelor's degree in Education from Manchester Polytechnic (now Manchester Metropolitan University). For twelve years afterwards, she worked as a teacher in Stockport, then moved to Kirklees, West Yorkshire. Walker was the headteacher of Overthorpe C of E School and Flockton C of E First School. After 34 years as a teacher, she became an independent consultant in 2012.[3][4][5]

Political career

Labour Party

Walker was elected as the MP for Colne Valley in the 2017 general election with a majority of 915 (1.5%) votes.[6] The seat had previously been held by Conservative Party politician Jason McCartney since 2010.[7] Walker made her maiden speech on 27 June 2017.[8] She sat on the Education Select Committee from September 2017 until November 2019 and was a member of the Welsh Affairs Select Committee between January and February 2018.[9]

Walker served as the Parliamentary Private Secretary to Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer John McDonnell.[10]

She was a signatory of the 'MPs Not Border Guards' pledge, which vowed not to report constituents to the Home Office for immigration enforcement.[11] Walker was a supporter of the Labour Against Private Schools campaign, which aims to commit Labour to abolishing private schools in the United Kingdom.[12][13]

Walker supported the United Kingdom remaining within the European Union in the 2016 EU membership referendum. In the indicative votes on 27 March 2019, she voted for a referendum on a Brexit withdrawal agreement, and for a customs union with the EU.[14]

Walker lost her seat in the 2019 general election to Jason McCartney of the Conservatives, whom she had previously unseated as the MP in 2017.[15]

On 18 November 2020, almost a year after losing her seat, she resigned her membership of the Labour Party on the evening after party leader Keir Starmer readmitted Jeremy Corbyn, who had immediately preceded him in that office, to the party but not to the Parliamentary Labour Party. She later explained that she left because she felt Starmer was being spiteful towards Corbyn, even prior to his suspension, and because she had concerns about the party's positions on the Covert Human Intelligence Sources Bill and on schools being open during the COVID-19 pandemic.[10]

Northern Independence Party

On 24 March 2021, Walker declared her support for the Northern Independence Party, which campaigns for northern England to become an independent country,[16] and on 28 March was announced as the party's candidate for the 2021 Hartlepool by-election.[17][18] On her decision to join the NIP, Walker said: "As a northerner, I have witnessed the 'managed decline' of northern towns and the empty promises of the 'Northern Powerhouse' for too long. The reality is that public transport is much cheaper and connectivity far better in London, education is far better funded and council tax in Westminster is far lower than in many of the most deprived northern towns. These factors, along with the belief by many northerners that their voices are not heard in Westminster, gives impetus to new and emerging parties."[19] She also stated that she believed Scottish and Welsh independence were both likely, as well as Irish reunification, and then "what is left will be little Englanders, and the north still being run by the Westminster establishment. You can see the role of NIP here if you look over the next few decades of how it could pan out and I just see that as part of the change that is needed."[20]

Whilst admitting her chances of getting elected in Hartlepool were slim, she told the Morning Star: "I'm going for it, I'd love to be the voice for Hartlepool in Westminster, change it from within and have a go at that government front bench, even as one independent voice. I'm being realistic, this is about a bigger movement and about the start of something. And I think that's what has rattled the cages of Labour and co."[21] As the NIP failed to register with the Electoral Commission before nominations closed, Walker was listed on the ballot as an independent.[22] At the by-election, she finished in 8th place with 250 votes.[23]

People's Alliance of the Left

On 20 January 2022, Walker announced that the NIP, Breakthrough Party, TUSC and Left Unity had agreed a "memorandum of understanding" as part of the People's Alliance of the Left (PAL). The announcement stated the parties would work on a "future electoral strategy."[24] As part of this group, all PAL members endorsed Dave Nellist, of the Trade Union and Socialist Coalition, in the 2022 Birmingham Erdington by election.[25] In November 2022, it was announced that the Liverpool community independents had joined the alliance.[26]

Personal life

She is married to Rob Walker, who was a Labour councillor for Colne Valley ward of Kirklees Council until his resignation from the Labour Party in November 2020 along with two other Labour councillors. This resulted in Labour losing their majority on the Council. Thelma and Rob have two children.[27] She is a trustee of Slaithwaite Civic Hall.[3]

In February 2021, Walker and her friend Tom Widdicombe began hosting a weekly podcast titled Thelma and Tom Look Left. Guests on the podcast have included Labour MPs such as Rebecca Long-Bailey, Richard Burgon, Dawn Butler, Clive Lewis and John McDonnell; journalists Ash Sarkar and Owen Jones; and Red Pepper editor Hilary Wainwright.[28]

References

  1. ↑ https://twitter.com/Thelma_DWalker/status/1645104252811870209
  2. ↑ "No. 61961". The London Gazette. 19 June 2017. p. 11779.
  3. 1 2 Carr, Tim; Dale, Iain; Waller, Robert (7 September 2017). The Politicos Guide to the New House of Commons 2017. Biteback Publishing. pp. 411–412. ISBN 978-1-78590-278-9.
  4. ↑ "Inspection Report". Ofsted. 30 September 2003. p. 1. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  5. ↑ Javin, Val (30 November 2007). "London treat for young musicians". Examiner Live. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  6. ↑ "Colne Valley". parliament.uk. 27 June 2017. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  7. ↑ "Colne Valley". UK Polling Report. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  8. ↑ "Education and Local Services". Hansard. 27 June 2017. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  9. ↑ "Thelma Walker MP". parliament.uk. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  10. 1 2 Walker, Thelma [@Thelma_DWalker] (18 November 2020). "Tonight I attended my branch meeting and resigned my membership of the Labour Party .It was a privilege to serve as Labour MP for #ColneValley, to be PPS to @johnmcdonnellMP and to work with @jeremycorbyn as Labour leader. I will continue to work for the many not the few" (Tweet). Retrieved 18 November 2020 – via Twitter.
  11. ↑ "MPs not border guards – pledge signatories". Global Justice. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
  12. ↑ Adams, Richard (9 July 2019). "Abolish Eton: Labour groups aim to strip elite schools of privileges". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
  13. ↑ Donaldson, Kitty (20 September 2019). "Corbyn's Troops Target Eton in Brexit Britain's Class War". Bloomberg. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  14. ↑ Pickard, Jim; Stabe, Martin; Tilford, Cale; Kao, Joanna S; Rininsland, Ændra (29 March 2019). "How MPs voted on May's withdrawal deal defeat". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 2 September 2019.
  15. ↑ Lavigueur, Nick (13 December 2019). "Jason McCartney takes back Colne Valley from Thelma Walker". Examiner Live. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
  16. ↑ Walker, Thelma [@Thelma_DWalker] (23 March 2021). "Independence for the North of England? Great interview from @novaramedia I'm supporting @FreeNorthNow" (Tweet). Retrieved 24 March 2021 – via Twitter.
  17. ↑ Northern Independence Party [@FreeNorthNow] (28 March 2021). "The candidate we will endorse for Hartlepool By-Election is Thelma Walker with 69.7% of the vote" (Tweet). Retrieved 28 March 2021 – via Twitter.
  18. ↑ "Ex-MP to stand for Northern Independence party in by-election". BBC News. 29 March 2021. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  19. ↑ Walker, Thelma (27 October 2021). "England after the break-up of Britain". Red Pepper. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
  20. ↑ Christie, Niall (24 April 2021). "Solidarity in self-determination – Northern Independence Party". Bella Caledonia. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  21. ↑ Christie, Niall (26 April 2021). "The Northern Independence Party: 'standing up for socialism'?". Morning Star. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  22. ↑ "Notice of Poll, Statement of Persons Nominated & Situation of Polling Stations". Hartlepool Borough Council. 8 April 2021.
  23. ↑ Hainey, Fionnula; Carter, Helen (7 May 2021). "The Hartlepool by-election results in full". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  24. ↑ Walker, Thelma [@Thelma_DWalker] (20 January 2022). "ANNOUNCEMENT 🤝 The People's Alliance of the Left (PAL) is delighted to announce that a memorandum of understanding has been agreed between @BThroughParty, @FreeNorthNow @TUSCoalition & @LeftUnityUK Our Alliance will work together on a future electoral strategy. #PAL" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  25. ↑ Walker, Thelma [@Thelma_DWalker] (29 January 2022). "Delighted to report that since #PAL announced our alliance ,membership in all 4 of our political parties has increased dramatically @BThroughParty @FreeNorthNow @LeftUnityUK @TUSCoalition #PAL is supporting @davenellist @Dave4Erdington campaign in the forthcoming by-election" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  26. ↑ People's Alliance of the Left [@PAL_Left] (21 November 2022). "ANNOUNCEMENT 🎉 We are proud to announce that @LIndependents have now joined as members of our working alliance, which includes @BThroughParty, @LeftUnityParty and @FreeNorthNow#LiverpoolDeservesBetter #PAL" (Tweet). Retrieved 22 November 2022 – via Twitter.
  27. ↑ Glover, Chloe (9 August 2016). "Meet new Colne Valley councillor Rob Walker". Examiner Live. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  28. ↑ "Thelma and Tom Look Left". Google Podcasts. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
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