Jeremy Corbyn refuses to be drawn on his future as Labour prepares to block him from standing as party MP
Jeremy Corbyn has refused to be drawn on his future as an MP ahead of a move to formally block him from standing for Labour at the next general election.
Sir Keir Starmer will propose a motion on Tuesday that will make clear the party’s ruling body, the National Executive Committee (NEC), will not endorse his predecessor to fight for his Islington North seat.
In a statement earlier, Mr Corbyn said Sir Keir had “broken his commitment to respect the rights of Labour members and denigrated the democratic foundations of our party”.
He did not say if he would run as an independent MP but said of those who support him: “Our message is clear: we are not going anywhere. Neither is our determination to stand up for a better world.”
Approached by Sky News before a rally outside parliament protesting against the government’s illegal immigration bill, Mr Corbyn said he was not giving interviews and appeared agitated when asked if he would stand again at the next election.
Sir Keir ruled out the veteran MP standing for Labour last month, as he insisted the party has undergone a transformation since he took over.
The motion, which the NEC is expected to back, says the Islington North MP “will not be endorsed by the NEC as a candidate on behalf of the Labour Party at the next general election”.
A senior Labour source said: “Keir Starmer has made clear that Jeremy Corbyn won’t be a Labour candidate at the next general election. The Labour Party now is unrecognisable from the one that lost in 2019.
“Tuesday’s vote will confirm this and ensure we can focus on our five missions to build a better Britain.”
How Corbyn will respond to Starmer’s move?
Jeremy Corbyn’s future as a Labour MP has seemed in doubt since Sir Keir Starmer took over the party, but soon it could be unequivocally over.
The current leader will tell a meeting of Labour’s ruling body tomorrow that his predecessor, in whose shadow cabinet he once served, should be barred from standing for the party at the next general election.
Insiders say that although he may get some support when the NEC votes, it won’t be enough to change Mr Corbyn’s fate and will effectively mark the end of 40 years of service in the role.
The question now is, how will Mr Corbyn respond?
When asked by Sky News if he planned to fight the decision or stand as an independent, he chose not to answer, displaying his familiar frustration at being questioned by the media.
But privately allies have not dismissed the possibility that he could run against the party and a huge local support base means he would have a better chance than most MPs of getting elected.
Whatever happens though, those at the top of Labour will welcome the fight as they believe that they must convince voters that the party has moved on if they have any chance of winning them back and winning power.
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Sir Keir’s motion will argue Mr Corbyn standing for Labour at the next election would lead to the party’s chances of winning power being “significantly diminished”.
It is expected to add that “the Labour Party’s interests, and its political interests at the next general election, are not well served by Mr Corbyn running as a Labour Party candidate”.
The decision follows the announcement that the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has decided to lift the party out of two years of special measures over its failings on antisemitism under Mr Corbyn.
Mr Corbyn was suspended from the parliamentary party in October 2020 over his reaction to a report by the EHRC which was critical of the party’s handling of antisemitism complaints under his leadership.
Immediately after its publication, Mr Corbyn claimed “the scale of the problem” of Labour antisemitism allegations was “dramatically overstated for political reasons by our opponents”.
Sir Keir Starmer has insisted the party has undergone a transformation since he took over
Mr Corbyn, who has represented Islington North for 40 years with a significant majority, has been sitting as an independent MP ever since his suspension, though he is still a member of the wider Labour Party.
In his statement, he said he had won the seat on 10 consecutive occasions since 1983 and he is “proud to represent a community that supports vulnerable people, joins workers on the picket line and fights for transformative change”.
He added: “This latest move represents a leadership increasingly unwilling to offer solutions that meet the scale of the crises facing us all. As the government plunges millions into poverty and demonises refugees, Keir Starmer has focused his opposition on those demanding a more progressive and humane alternative.
“I joined the Labour Party when I was 16 years old because, like millions of others, I believed in a redistribution of wealth and power.”
Supporters of Mr Corbyn have also hit out at the decision, with a Momentum spokesperson saying: “We utterly condemn this venal and duplicitous act from Keir Starmer, which further divides the Labour Party and insults the millions of people inspired by Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership.”
The group, set up in the wake of Mr Corbyn’s leadership victory, said it should be for Islington North Labour members to decide their candidate and called the rationale behind Sir Keir’s decision “pathetic” and “patently factional”.
Labour MP Apsana Begum called Mr Corbyn “one of the most popular leaders of the Labour Party”, adding: “We can never give in to those seeking to crush the hope and empowerment that he represents across our country.
“We should instead continue to be inspired by the heroism of all those who are standing up for their rights and the rights of others, in difficult situations.”
Nigel Farage has told Sky News he “can’t be pushed or bullied” by anybody after Elon Musk said the Reform MP “doesn’t have what it takes” to lead his party.
In an interview with Sky’s political correspondent Ali Fortescue, Mr Farage said he has spoken with the billionaire owner of X since his criticism on 5 January, when Mr Musk said: “The Reform Party needs a new leader. Farage doesn’t have what it takes.”
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Asked if the pair are still friends, Mr Farage said: “Of course we’re friends. He just says what he thinks at any moment in time.”
He added he has “been in touch” with Mr Musk, though wouldn’t divulge what they had discussed.
“Look, he said lots of supportive things. He said one thing that wasn’t supportive. I mean, that’s just the way it is,” Mr Farage said.
Musk and Farage met in December. Pic: PA
Asked if he was afraid to criticise the tech mogul, the Clacton MP said the situation was “the opposite”, and he openly disagreed with Mr Musk on his views on far-right activist Tommy Robinson.
Mr Farage said: “What he [Musk] was saying online was that effectively Tommy Robinson was a political prisoner and I wouldn’t go along with that.
“If I had gone along with that, he wouldn’t have put out a tweet that was against me.
“By the way, you know, I can’t be pushed or bullied or made to change by anybody.
“I stick to what I believe.”
Mr Musk has endorsed Robinson and claimed he was “telling the truth” about grooming gangs, writing on X: “Free Tommy Robinson”.
But Mr Farage said that Robinson, who is serving an 18-month jail term for contempt of court, isn’t welcome in Reform UK and neither are his supporters.
He said: “If people within Reform think Tommy Robinson should be a member of Reform and play a central role in Reform, that disagreement is absolutely fundamental.
“I’ve never wanted to work with people who were active in the BNP. I’ve made that clear right throughout the last decade of my on/off political career. So that’s what the point of difference is.”
Despite their disagreement, Mr Farage said he is confident Mr Musk will continue to support Reform and “may well” still give money to it.
The entrepreneur has previously spoken positively about Reform UK and there have been suggestions he could make a multi-million-pound donation in its favour.
Devolution plans ‘denial of democracy’
Mr Farage was speaking from Reform’s South East of England Conference, one of a series of regional events aimed at building up the party’s support base.
Elsewhere in the interview, he hit out at the Labour government’s devolution plans which could see some local elections scheduled for May postponed.
This would apply when councils seek permission to reorganise, so that smaller district authorities merge with other nearby ones to give them more sway over their area.
Mr Farage, who is hoping to make gains in the spring contests, claimed the plans are not about devolution but about “elections being cancelled”.
“I thought only dictators cancelled elections. This is unbelievable and devolution or a change to local government structures is being used as an excuse,” he said.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage earlier this month. Pic: PA
He claimed Tory-controlled councils are “grabbing it like it’s a life belt”, because they fear losing seats to Reform.
“It’s an absolute denial of democracy,” he added.
Mr Farage was also asked why many Reform members don’t like to speak on camera about why they support his party.
He said he did not accept there was a toxicity associated with Reform and claimed there was “institutional bias against anybody that isn’t left of centre”.
Specialist search teams, police dogs and divers have been dispatched to find two sisters who vanished in Aberdeen three days ago.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti, both 32, were last seen on CCTV in the city’s Market Street at Victoria Bridge at about 2.12am on Tuesday.
The siblings were captured crossing the bridge and turning right onto a footpath next to the River Dee in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club.
Henrietta Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Eliza Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Police Scotland has launched a major search and said it is carrying out “extensive inquires” in an effort to find the women.
Chief Inspector Darren Bruce said: “Local officers, led by specialist search advisors, are being assisted by resources including police dogs and our marine unit.”
Aberdeenshire Drone Services told Sky News it has offered to help in the search and is waiting to hear back from Police Scotland.
CCTV of the sisters. Pic: Police Scotland
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The sisters, from Aberdeen city centre, are described as slim with long brown hair.
Police said the Torry side of Victoria Bridge where the sisters were last seen contains many commercial and industrial units, with searches taking place in the vicinity.
The force urged businesses in and around the South Esplanade and Menzies Road area to review CCTV footage recorded in the early hours of Tuesday in case it captured anything of significance.
Drivers with relevant dashcam footage are also urged to come forward.
CI Bruce added: “We are continuing to speak to people who know Eliza and Henrietta and we urge anyone who has seen them or who has any information regarding their whereabouts to please contact 101.”
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