By Ben Kerrigan-
Jeremy Corbyn, the former Labour leader, has announced that he will be standing as an independent candidate in the upcoming General Election. Corbyn, who has represented the Islington North constituency for 40 years, pledged to be “an independent voice for equality, democracy and peace.”
Corbyn has been suspended by the Labour Party since 2020 after he refused to fully accept the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s findings that the party broke equality law under his leadership. The Commission’s report found that antisemitism had been “dramatically overstated for political reasons,” a statement that Corbyn did not fully endorse, leading to his suspension.
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Speaking to the Islington Tribune, Corbyn expressed his determination to retain his seat, saying, “We have to stand up and defend our rights.” He appealed to lifelong Labour voters, emphasizing his continued commitment to the principles he has always stood for: social justice, human rights, and peace.
“These principles are needed now more than ever before,” he stated, promising to offer “a genuine alternative to the corrupt years of this Tory government.”
Corbyn outlined his vision for a progressive platform that includes rent controls, public ownership of energy and water, the abolition of the two-child benefits cap, a Green New Deal, and an ethical foreign policy based on peace and human rights. He reaffirmed his dedication to his constituents, declaring, “When I was first elected, I made a promise to stand by my constituents no matter what. In Islington North, we keep our promises.”
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Corbyn had a substantial majority of 26,188 votes in his Islington North seat during the 2019 election when he ran as a Labour candidate. His political career in Parliament began in 1983, and he has been a steadfast representative of his constituency since then.
Mick Lynch, general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, expressed support for Corbyn, citing his strong track record of supporting RMT members and his alignment with traditional Labour values. “We are supporting Jeremy Corbyn because his track record of supporting RMT members, being a friend of our union and having strong traditional Labour values is second to none,” Lynch said.
He added that the RMT would support a range of Labour and socialist candidates in the next general election, with the union’s National Executive Committee meeting soon to formulate their approach.
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