James-J Walsh

James "James-J" Walsh (born 25 July 1983) is an equality campaigner and Labour politician best known for his work as an LGBT rights campaigner, and as a local Councillor in the London Borough of Lewisham, London. His previous work includes being Campaigns Director of Out4Marriage, an LGBT charity that promotes same-sex marriage equality in the United Kingdom and beyond, for which he was cited amongst the 'top 10 most influential LGBT people'^[1][2] in the UK by The Independent newspapers' Pink List. He has also been an Associate Director of Pride London and is a former National Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Trans (open-place) Executive Officer of the National Union of Students (NUS) in the United Kingdom.

Early life & education

Born in Lewisham, Walsh attended St Dunstan's College, an independent Christian school in Lewisham, London. The son of an electrician and a local council worker and who grew up in Forest Hill, London. Walsh is a graduate of the Oxford Brookes University, where he read Geography and Urban Planning. He served as the Deputy President: Welfare and Education of Oxford Brookes Students' Union from 2003-5, and Halls Representation Officer and President of Lady Spencer Churchill JCR at the Wheatley Campus of Oxford Brookes University.

After graduating Walsh worked for The Consortium of LGBT Voluntary and Community Organisations UK- the UK's LGBT strategic partner to the Department of Health and the Home Office for two years, as their leadership and engagement specialist.^[3]

Political career

Public Office

James-J currently holds public office as a Labour Councillor in the London Borough of Lewisham representing the Rushey Green Ward which covers the majority of Catford in south-east London.

Alongside this he holds the position of Labour Group Secretary for the Borough as well as being both ' Chair of The Catford Broadway Theatre Working Party ' and 'Vice Chair of Sustainable Development', for the London Borough of Lewisham.

NUS LGBT Officer

Walsh was elected as NUS LGBT Officer (Open Place) at the Summer conference of the NUS LGBT Campaign 2005 as an independent candidate, however he was noted to have close affiliation to Kat Fletcher National President of the National Union of Students UK, a Campaign for Free Education candidate. Walsh beat incumbent Labour Students Ben Miskell, by 5 votes in 2005 for the role of NUS LGBT Officer of the National Union of Students. He had been a member of the NUS National Council since 2004, having previously held the post of South West Regional HE Councillor, alongside his role as Deputy President: Welfare and Education of Oxford Brookes University Students' Union. During his term of office, Walsh produced new standing orders for the NUS LGBT Campaign and brought the campaigns expenditure back in line with budget.

At the LGBT summer conference in 2006 Walsh stood down from his position, returning to complete his Higher Education at Oxford Brookes University.

Out4Marriage

Walsh is a leading spokesperson from Out4Marriage.^[4] Recruited as Campaign Director by Ben Cohen Founder of Out4Marriage and Editor-in-Chief of Pink News. Walsh's role is Director of Campaigns,^[5] and is attributed as co-authoring the official Out4Marriage response to the government consultation.^[6] Guido Fawkes, a political commentator from the political right, criticised Walsh, the Out4Marriage campaign and same-sex marriage lobbyists for seeking to force religious groups to marry gay couples stating "Tatchell and others won’t stop until the Pope, Dalai Lama and Imams bless gay marriages in their places of worship…".^[7] In a comment for the Daily Mail, Walsh indicated that he felt LGBT Marriage should be a matter for religious groups to decide upon, and no religious organisation should be forced to marry same-sex couples.^[8] Walsh's take on the introduction of same-sex marriage has remained fairly neutral despite his membership of the Labour Party, having both criticised the Conservative Government^[9] and supportive when former Prime Minister John Major came Out4Marriage.^[10] In a statement to The Express, Walsh said that the Con-Dem Coalition Government had "forged a real feeling of hope" around same-sex marriage, but also warned of the proposed "fourth-lock".^[11] Walsh also acknowledge Nick Clegg and the Liberal Democrats long term commitment to same-sex marriage equality in a statement released with the Deputy Prime Ministers video for Out4Marriage.^[12]

Pride London

Walsh's role varied with his time at Pride London between 2006-2009,^[6] he was brought in as Youth Outreach coordinator and then promoted to the role of Associate Director: charitable purpose - where he authored the strategy document for campaigning equality work for the campaign.

In 2012, Walsh wrote an article for the Pink Paper,^[13] criticising the organisation of Pride London's World Pride event. In his article he was critical of both event management, and the political messaging as Pride London failed to organise any political activity around same-sex marriage the only piece of LGBT equality legislation being reviewed by the British Government at the time, squarely pointing criticism at the leadership of the organisation, who all in Autumn 2012 resigned from their positions, and Pride folded.^[14]

References