Michael Walker (born 1989or1990) is a British political journalist, presenter, commentator, and activist. He is a contributing editor at Novara Media, where he hosts the organisation's flagship live news programme Novara Live (previously TyskySour).
Walker joined Novara Media as a presenter and contributing editor. He hosts Novara Live, the organisation's regular live-streamed news and political commentary programme on YouTube, which was previously known as TyskySour.[3][1][4]
While covering the Labour Party conference in Brighton in September 2017, Walker and another journalist from Novara Media were denied entry by Sussex Police. Reportedly refused press accreditation and barred from entering the event, Walker's exclusion was criticised by media freedom advocates including the Index on Censorship, which described it as an infringement on journalistic freedom.[5]
Walker launched the podcast Crash Course with Michael Walker in November 2022.[9] In October 2024, Walker announced that the podcast would be taking a break until the new year, with plans for a relaunch featuring "a more consistent format and schedule".[10]
Walker regularly appears on television news programmes and debates, including appearances on GB News, where he has been known to challenge the network's editorial stance.[11] He has also appeared on Piers Morgan's programmes.[12]
Views
Walker's political views have evolved over time. In a 2019 podcast interview, he explained that he had "moved away from anarchism" and now identifies as a "class war social democrat". Walker's political commentary consistently focuses on economic inequality and housing policy. He has argued that "the failure of the state to build homes is the biggest cause of the affordability crisis, not restrictive planning laws".[6]
Walker was a strong supporter of Jeremy Corbyn's leadership of the Labour Party. In a 2019 appearance on BBC's This Week, Walker defended Corbyn's Brexit policy, arguing that Remainers had "struggled to get Leavers to back their campaign for a new EU referendum" and suggesting it was time Remainers "stopped blaming Corbyn for their own failings".[13] He has written analysis defending Corbyn's electoral performance, arguing in Jacobin that "it wasn't only the media that defeated Jeremy Corbyn" but also internal party divisions.[7]
During an appearance on GB News in October 2023, Walker questioned the exclusive labelling of Hamas as a terrorist organisation, stating: "Only if we apply the same term to the Israeli government." He argued that "there are extremists on both sides," cautioning against asymmetric moral framing. The comments prompted a fierce reaction from Kelvin MacKenzie, who denounced them as "an absolute shocker."[11]
Recognition and nominations
In 2025, Walker was nominated alongside Ash Sarkar for the Amnesty International UK Media Awards' inaugural "People's Choice Award", recognising their work on Novara Live. The nomination was made by Amnesty supporters who described their work as "informative, balanced and heroic" and praised their "commitment to independent, truthful journalism". The award was established to give the public the opportunity to vote for the UK journalist they believed had made an outstanding contribution to human rights reporting over the past year.[14][15]
Personal life
Walker is gay.[16] In a 2017 New Statesman profile, he described himself as an "activist first, journalist second" and a "class war social democrat".[1]
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