2016 cartoon about the United Kingdom leaving the European Union "to take back control over the country", only to start begging to the United States to help them out afterwards. The U.K. has been nicknamed "the 51st State" in regards to the United States since World War II.
Gary Barker is a British political cartoonist. His cartoons circulate in most English national newspapers and have appeared in Belgian, Dutch and French papers too. His career took off as house cartoonist for 'The BBC Politics Show' between 2007 and 2009. He should not be confused with U.S. comic book artist Gary Barker.
Early life and career
Gary Barker was born in 1963 in Fleetwood, Lancashire. He ranks Charles Griffin and Carlos Ezquerra among his graphic influences and considers 'Spider-Man' his favorite comic series. As an artist he is self-taught. Between 1989 and 1994 he studied geology technics and environmental science at the University of Kingston, followed by a teacher training at the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne (2001-2002).
Gary Barker cartoon from 28 July 2008.
Cartooning
In April 2007 the BBC organized their annual 'Comic Relief', a charity event where humorists all over the country raise money for the needy by making comedy specials, broadcast during a live TV show. One of the contests was a national cartoon competition, organized by the BBC Politics Show, which Barker won. He became the house cartoonist of this political TV show until 2009. His political cartoons have also appeared on 'BBC Newsnight', 'This Week Tonight with John Oliver' and 'Channel 4 News'. Since 2010 his cartoons appear in Tribune Magazine, as well as The London Times, The Guardian, Daily Star on Sunday, The Daily Telegraph, New European and The Sun. Outside England, his cartoons can be enjoyed in Stern, Courrier International, Eulenspiegel, Unterricht Franzosich and Berlin Metro. Barker is especially known for his many cartoons about the UK's "Brexit" from the European Union.
Other illustration work
Besides politics, Barker has made illustrations, caricatures and cartoons for business publications such as the Accountacy Age and the weekly Estates Gazette (2010-2017). His work for the latter magazine mostly related to technological developments and communication. In 2013 Barker was involved with promotional art for the XC Coupe Volvo car. In 2016 he was one of several cartoonists to sign a petition for Iranian president Hassan Rouhani to free local cartoonist Atena Farghadani, who was jailed for making a cartoon which ridiculed Iranian government officials. She was released the same month.
Since 2016 he maintains his own blog and since June 2018 he has his own Twitter account.
Cartoon from The Times (13 July 2015) depicting German chancellor Angela Merkel and Greek Prime Minister Alexei Tsipras discussing financial aid of the European Union to Greece, who suffered a debt crisis in the 2010s. A majority of the Greek population rejected austerity measures by the E.U. by public referendum, which seemed to give Tsipras an advantage over the E.U. However, Merkel has Greece in a stronghold too, since the country doesn't have much options left. The line "A week in politics is a very long time" was famously uttered by British Prime Minister Harold Wilson.