Stay up to date with notifications from TheĀ Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Fresh calls to allow Jeremy Corbyn to stand as Labour candidate at next election

The former Labour leader remains a party member but sits in the Commons as an Independent MP.

Richard Wheeler
Sunday 25 September 2022 17:08 BST
Jeremy Corbyn (PA)
Jeremy Corbyn (PA) (PA Wire)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Sir Keir Starmer has faced fresh demands to pave the way for Jeremy Corbyn to stand as a Labour candidate at the next general election.

Former Labour leader Mr Corbyn remains a party member but sits in the Commons as an Independent MP after having the whip withdrawn due to his response to an Equality and Human Rights Commission report into antisemitism in the party.

But some party delegates have forced a vote on a proposed rule change in a bid to allow Mr Corbyn (Islington North) to be re-selected as a Labour candidate.

Supporters say it is focused on allowing a Constituency Labour Party (CLP) to be in control of who their candidate is rather than the parliamentary Labour party (PLP).

But the party believes the proposal represents a ā€œsignificant legal risk to itā€.

Peter Talbot, of Islington North CLP, said: ā€œWe need a range of Labour candidates. We need to demonstrate that the Labour Party truly is a broad church. And thatā€™s particularly important in relation to the thousands of young people that Jeremy brought into supporting Labour.ā€

He added: ā€œIf we donā€™t change the rules and Jeremy canā€™t stand for Labour at the next election, well that would just be a disaster for us frankly, it would not end well.

ā€œIt would be a gift to the Greens, to the Lib Dems and the Tories.ā€

Explaining the proposed change, Mr Talbot said: ā€œIt will ensure that the Parliamentary Labour Party cannot disqualify a sitting Labour MP from standing in an election by simply withdrawing the whip.ā€

Rachel Garnham, Mid Bedfordshire CLP, said Labour would be ā€œfar betterā€ going into a general election ā€œas a united party rather than attempting to make Jeremy grovelā€.

She said: ā€œI feel like as a party weā€™ve got ourselves into a bit of a mess.

ā€œInstead of turning our collective fire on this horrendous Westminster Government it feels like too much time and energy is sadly going into fighting the left of the party ā€“ and weā€™re not going away.ā€

She added Labourā€™s ā€œpolitical enemiesā€ include Prime Minister Liz Truss and Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng, adding: ā€œOur political enemy is not Jeremy Corbyn.ā€

Thomas Glasman, of Hackney North and Stoke Newington CLP, said: ā€œThe issue at hand on the selection of MPs is not necessarily one of whether you personally like or dislike Jeremy Corbyn or what he stands for.

ā€œItā€™s a principle of whether CLPs have a democratic right to select who they wish to have as an MP.ā€

Samantha Niblett, from Erewash CLP, spoke against the ā€œflawedā€ proposal before adding: ā€œThe public donā€™t care about our internal arguments.ā€

Michael Wheeler, vice-chair of Labourā€™s national executive committee (NEC) organisation sub-committee, said: ā€œThe rule change represents a significant legal risk to the party.

ā€œIn order to successfully defend legal claims the party must be able to show there itā€™s applying its rules consistently and fairly.

ā€œChanging the fundamental rules midway through a parliamentary cycle leaves the party open to legal challenge from candidates that may be put at a disadvantage.ā€

A card vote on the proposal took place at the end of Sundayā€™s session in Liverpool.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in