London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jun 20, 2025

Jeremy Corbyn: Starmer move flagrant attack on democracy

Jeremy Corbyn: Starmer move flagrant attack on democracy

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has condemned Sir Keir Starmer's decision to bar him from standing for the party at the next general election, calling it a "flagrant attack" on democracy.
Mr Corbyn said it was up to local party members to choose their candidate, not Labour leaders.

The Islington North MP, who sits as an independent, was suspended as a Labour MP in 2020 in a row over antisemitism.

Sir Keir said Labour had changed, and people who did not like it could leave.

In a statement posted on Twitter, Mr Corbyn said: "Keir Starmer's statement about my future is a flagrant attack on the democratic rights of Islington North Labour Party members. It is up to them - not party leaders - to decide who their candidate should be.

"Any attempt to block my candidacy is a denial of due process, and should be opposed by anybody who believes in the value of democracy."

He described Sir Keir's move as "a divisive distraction from our overriding goal: to defeat the Conservative Party at the next general election".

The BBC understands that Mr Corbyn is still likely to seek the Labour Party nomination in Islington North, forcing party bosses to formally block him from being a Labour candidate.

Mr Corbyn has previously declined to comment on speculation he might stand against Labour as an independent candidate and his latest statement did not address this issue.

But former shadow home secretary Diane Abbott, one of his longest-standing allies, said he had "no intention of standing as an independent", having been a member of the Labour Party since he was 16.

Earlier Sir Keir had confirmed for the first time that his predecessor as party leader would not be allowed to represent Labour at the next election, saying the party had changed and "we are not going back".

He was speaking at a news conference in east London, after Britain's equalities watchdog said Labour had improved how it handled antisemitism complaints.

In 2020, the Equality and Human Rights Commission found Labour, under Mr Corbyn, had been responsible for unlawful harassment and discrimination.

But a new report by the watchdog said it was now satisfied sufficient changes had been made.

Sir Keir said this was "an important moment in the history of the Labour Party" but "not one for celebration". He stressed it was "not the end of the road" and promised "zero tolerance of antisemitism, of racism, of discrimination of any kind".

Labour was "unrecognisable from 2019 and it will never go back… if you don't like that, if you don't like the changes we have made, I say the door is open and you can leave", he added.

Momentum, the left-wing campaign group set up to support Mr Corbyn when he was Labour leader, has also called for local members in Islington North to be allowed to decide their candidate.

The group said in a statement: "We... will not allow ourselves to be driven out of the party. What we've witnessed today is an attempt to dishearten and demoralise us.

"The door might be open - but we're not leaving."

Mr Corbyn was suspended as a Labour MP by Sir Keir for saying, in his response to the 2020 EHRC report, that the scale of antisemitism within Labour had been"dramatically overstated" by his opponents and much of the media.

He also said antisemitism was "absolutely abhorrent" and "one antisemite is one too many" in the party.

He was readmitted to the wider party after saying concerns about antisemitism had been neither "exaggerated nor overstated", but he remains barred from representing Labour in Parliament.

Mr Corbyn led Labour to defeat in the 2017 and 2019 general elections but remains a popular figure with many on the left of the party. From 2016, Sir Keir was a key member of his shadow cabinet, speaking for the party on Brexit.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
UK Home Secretary Apologizes Over Child Grooming Failures
Trump Organization Launches 5G Mobile Network and Golden Handset
Towcester Hosts 2025 English Greyhound Derby Amid Industry Scrutiny
Gary Oldman and David Beckham Knighted in King's Birthday Honours
Over 30,000 Lightning Strikes Recorded Across UK During Overnight Storms
Princess of Wales Returns to Public Duties at Trooping the Colour
Red Arrows Use Sustainable Fuel in Historic Trooping the Colour Flypast
Former Welsh First Minister Addresses Unionist Concerns Over Irish Language
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
France Bars Israeli Arms Companies from Paris Defense Expo
King Charles Leads Tribute to Air India Crash Victims at Trooping the Colour
Jack Pitchford Embarks on 200-Mile Walk to Support Stem Cell Charity
Surrey Hikers Take on Challenge of Climbing 11 Peaks in a Single Day
UK Deploys RAF Jets to Middle East Amid Israel-Iran Tensions
Two Skydivers Die in 'Tragic Accident' at Devon Airfield
Sainsbury's and Morrisons Accused of Displaying Prohibited Tobacco Ads
UK Launches National Inquiry into Grooming Gangs
Families Seek Closure After Air India Crash
Gold Emerges as Global Safe Haven Amid Uncertainty
Trump Reports $57 Million Earnings from Crypto Venture
Trump's Military Parade Sparks Concerns Over Authoritarianism
Nationwide 'No Kings' Protests Challenge Trump's Leadership
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
Germany Holds First Veterans Celebration Since WWII
U.S. Health Secretary Dismisses CDC Vaccine Advisory Committee
Minnesota Lawmaker Melissa Hortman and Husband Killed in Targeted Attack; Senator John Hoffman and Wife Injured
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
×