The Jewish Chronicle

UK right, strongly pro-Israel

Background

Founded on November 12, 1841, the Jewish Chronicle is the oldest continuously published Jewish newspaper in the world and the main voice of the British Jewish community for most of its history. For much of the twentieth century it was controlled by the Kessler Foundation, which held roughly 84 percent of its voting shares from 1984 onward and oversaw a broadly centrist, pro-Israel editorial line. In April 2020 the paper entered voluntary liquidation and was purchased by a private consortium led by Sir Robbie Gibb — a former BBC political director and Theresa May communications chief — alongside broadcasters, bankers, and other figures, though several backers' identities were never publicly disclosed, drawing sustained criticism from press-freedom advocates and parliamentary scrutiny. Under editor Jake Wallis Simons (December 2021 to January 2025), the paper shifted markedly rightward, adopting an emphatic pro-Benjamin Netanyahu stance and drawing fire from inside and outside the Jewish community for what critics described as activist rather than journalistic coverage of Israel. In 2024 the paper faced a serious credibility crisis when it published fabricated stories about the Gaza war attributed to freelance writer Elon Perry; Israeli military officials called the claims baseless, and four prominent columnists — Jonathan Freedland, David Aaronovitch, Hadley Freeman, and David Baddiel — resigned, accusing the paper of putting politics before journalism. Separately, research found the paper had breached the UK press regulator IPSO's code 41 times in the five years to 2023. A new editor, Daniel Schwammenthal, took over in January 2025, and the paper announced a transition to a charitable trust, though the structure, editorial controls, and funding sources remain only partially disclosed.

Sources

1. The Jewish Chronicle – Wikipedia
2. Who really funds the Jewish Chronicle? – Prospect Magazine
3. It's time MPs investigated the Jewish Chronicle's secret ownership – Prospect Magazine
4. Jewish Chronicle under new ownership – Press Gazette
5. Jewish Chronicle announces new editor – Press Gazette
6. UK's Jewish Chronicle removes stories by writer accused of fabrications about Gaza war – Times of Israel
7. The Jewish Chronicle (JC) – Bias and Credibility – Media Bias/Fact Check
8. Five Jewish Chronicle writers quit, accusing it of prioritising politics over journalism – Jewish News
9. Rows at The Jewish Chronicle show why ownership matters – The Media Leader

Profile compiled 2026-07-17; refreshed when ownership, funding, or the administration changes.

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