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The Voice winner Jermain Jackman credits Jeremy Corbyn for 'discovering' him The Voice winner Jermain Jackman credits Jeremy Corbyn for 'discovering' him
(35 minutes later)
Jermain Jackman a former winner of The Voice talent contest has revealed how he was “discovered” by Jeremy Corbyn and how he now has ambitions to work for the Labour leader. Jermain Jackman, a former winner of The Voice, has revealed how he was “discovered” by Jeremy Corbyn and said he now has ambitions to work for the Labour leader.
Ten years ago when, Jackman was just 11, Corbyn spotted his ability to sing at a school talent show. The then backbench MP went on to encourage Jackman to perform during campaign events and rallies where the two became an unlikely “double act”. Ten years ago, when Jackman was 11, Corbyn spotted his ability to sing at a school talent show. The then backbench MP went on to encourage Jackman to perform during campaign events and rallies where the two became an unlikely double act.
“Jeremy Corbyn discovered me,” Jackman joked in an interview with Guardian and The Mirror. “He came to judge a singing competition that I was in at my secondary school [Islington Arts and Media School] in his constituency. He came up to me and said you’ve got an amazing voice. Let me give you some performance experience, charity performances campaigns.” “Jeremy Corbyn discovered me,” Jackman joked in an interview. “He came to judge a singing competition that I was in at my secondary school [Islington arts and media school] in his constituency. He came up to me and said: ‘You’ve got an amazing voice. Let me give you some performance experience, charity performances, campaigns.’”
Jackman, who won the 2014 series of the Voice, added: “He would call me in the morning and say ‘Jermain I’m speaking at this event and this campaign, I would love for you to sing’. So it became like a double act. He would always talk for about 15 minutes and then he would say ‘now I would like to bring on Jermain Jackman’ and I would come on and sign. We did this at a number of events.” Jackman, who won the 2014 series of The Voice, added: “He would call me in the morning and say: ‘Jermain I’m speaking at this event and this campaign, I would love for you to sing.’ So it became like a double act. He would always talk for about 15 minutes and then he would say: ‘Now I would like to bring on Jermain Jackman,’ and I would come on and sing. We did this at a number of events.
“I would sign things like You Raise Me UP and House is Not a Home, You’ll Never Walk Alone. Covers of inspiration songs.” “I would sign things like You Raise Me Up and House is Not a Home, You’ll Never Walk Alone. Covers of inspirational songs.”
Jackman is turning to politics after his singing career failed to take off despite his success in the Voice. He is in first year as politics student at Leeds University and said he would eventually like to succeed Corbyn’s political ally Dianne Abbot as the MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington. Jackman is turning to politics after his singing career failed to take off. He is in his first year as a politics student at Leeds University and said he would eventually like to succeed Corbyn’s political ally Dianne Abbott as the MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, in east London.
Speaking after taking part in a seminar on Youth Violence at parliament’s Portcullis House, Jackman said: “I’m looking to get a foot into the door. Hopefully one day I can take Diane Abbott’s seat and become MP for Hackney.” Speaking after taking part in a seminar on youth violence at parliament’s Portcullis House, Jackman said: “I’m looking to get a foot into the door. Hopefully one day I can take Diane Abbott’s seat and become MP for Hackney.”
In the meantime he’s hoping to work for Corbyn. “He drops me an email and text now and then. Hopefully Jeremy can make me a policy adviser. Who knows? I’ll finish uni first then become a policy adviser but there are many steps to go.” In the meantime he hopes to work for Corbyn. “He drops me an email and text now and then. Hopefully Jeremy can make me a policy adviser. Who knows? I’ll finish uni first then become a policy adviser, but there are many steps to go.”
Jackman said he was keen to campaign against youth violence after losing friends to gun and knife crime while growing up in Hackney, east London. Jackman said he was keen to campaign against youth violence after losing friends to gun and knife crime while growing up in Hackney.
“My main focus is on prevention and the social issues surrounding individual,” he said. “It’s about what provisions and resources the government is going to put in place. They had a £10m scheme that didn’t really do much. The government is wasting taxpayers money in tackling this.” “My main focus is on prevention and the social issues surrounding individual,” he said. “It’s about what provisions and resources the government is going to put in place. They had a £10m scheme that didn’t really do much. The government is wasting taxpayers’ money in tackling this.”
The seminar was organised by one time Labour leadership hopeful Chuka Umunna. He said he had raised concerns about rising gang violence in an article for the Guardian in 2007. “The most depressing thing in many respects is that very little has changed since.” The seminar was organised by the one-time Labour leadership hopeful Chuka Umunna. Umunna recalled that he had raised concerns about rising gang violence in 2007, in an article for the Guardian. “The most depressing thing in many respects is that very little has changed since,” he said.
He added: “I just want to stop the violence on our streets. If we were talking about a group of middle class youngsters from fairly well-healed comfortable communities ... this issue would be much higher up the national agenda. We have to turn that around because every teenage life matters.” He added: “I just want to stop the violence on our streets. If we were talking about a group of middle-class youngsters from fairly well-healed, comfortable communities … this issue would be much higher up the national agenda. We have to turn that around because every teenage life matters.”