LAST UPDATE | 5 Jul

FORMER LEADER OF the UK Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn has been elected as an independent MP, beating his ex-party’s candidate.

Corbyn, 75, won the seat in Islington North with 49% of the vote (24,120).

Labour’s candidate Praful Nargund finished second in the constituency at 34%. 

“We have shown what kinder, gentler and more sensible, more inclusive politics can bring about.

“I couldn’t be more proud of my constituency than I am tonight and proud of our team that brought this result. Thank you very much Islington North for the result we have achieved tonight,” Corbyn said tonight.

Asked whether Starmer will make a good Prime Minister, Corbyn said: “Well, see what happens.

He will become Prime Minister, he will have a majority in Parliament, he has put forward a manifesto that is thin to put it mildly and doesn’t offer a serious economic alternative to what the Conservative government is doing. And so the demands on him are going to be huge, the demands from the people are going to be huge.

Speaking to Channel 4 News, Corbyn said “he will be there holding that Government to account”. 

He said his win was a “very strong” message that if you thread on democracy, even within your own party, “it has consequences”. 

He added that he is not convinced Labour’s economic manifesto will be able to deliver the sort of changes needed in society.

When asked about how best to address the rise of the far-right, Corbyn said it has risen because centre parties have moved to the right. 

“We’ve had some appalling examples of blaming refugees, blaming migrants… as if they are the cause of the problem,” he said. 

He added that the rise of the far-right is dangerous. 

“You have to make a stand against their horrible message of hate and division.”

When asked about Gaza, Corbyn said the UK is complicit in the atrocity because of its role in providing weapons to Israel. 

He added that Starmer should recognise the State of Palestine. 

Corbyn has been an MP for the area for over 40 years but was prevented from standing as a Labour candidate by the party’s governing body following his suspension as a Labour MP in 2020. 

The suspension was issued in response to his handling of a report into antisemitism in the party. 

Corbyn has been sitting as an Independent since 2020 after refusing to fully accept the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s findings that the party broke equality law when he was in charge.

He said allegations of antisemitism had been “dramatically overstated for political reasons”.

Corbyn was leader of the Labour Party from 2015 to 2020.

With reporting from Press Association.