Keir Starmer to block Jeremy Corbyn from standing for Labour at NEC meeting

Corbyn said the Labour leader had ‘denigrated the democratic foundations’ of the party

Frenemies: Corbyn Starmer attend an election campaign meeting in 2019 (Reuters)

Jeremy Corbyn is set to be blocked from standing as a Labour candidate at the next general election, with Sir Keir Starmer set to bring a motion confirming the move to a meeting of the party’s ruling body.

The Labour leader will propose a motion that will make clear that the National Executive Committee will not endorse Mr Corbyn at the next election, expected in around 18 months’ time.

Sir Keir ruled out the left-wing veteran standing again for Labour last month, as he insisted the party has undergone a transformation under his leadership.

The motion, which the NEC is expected to back at a meeting on Tuesday, 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.

They added: “Tuesday’s vote will confirm this and ensure we can focus on our five missions to build a better Britain.”

The suspended left-wing MP and his allies have condemned the move as a “flagrant attack” on democracy. The former leader has insisted it is up to members in the north London constituency to pick their candidate and said Sir Keir had “denigrated the democratic foundations” of Labour.

In a statement, Mr Corbyn said: “Today, Keir Starmer has broken his commitment to respect the rights of Labour members and denigrated the democratic foundations of our party.

“I have been elected as the Labour MP for Islington North on 10 consecutive occasions since 1983.

“I am proud to represent a community that supports vulnerable people, joins workers on the picket line and fights for transformative change.

“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.”

Mr Corbyn also issued a warning to the current leader and his allies, saying: “Our message is clear: we are not going anywhere.

“Neither is our determination to stand up for a better world.”

Sir Keir ruling out Mr Corbyn standing again for Labour follows the announcement that the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s has decided to lift the party out of two years of special measures over its failings on antisemitism under Mr Corbyn.

He is currently sitting in the Commons as an independent after he was suspended from the party over his response to the damning EHRC report in 2020 which found that Labour had broken equalities law.

The MP, who still retains support within the party and in his constituency, could now be left with the option of running as an independent candidate in the seat.

Momentum condemned Sir Keir’s latest move as a “venal and duplicitous act” – saying it “insults the millions of people inspired by Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership”.

A Momentum spokesperson said: “We urge all NEC representatives to reject this anti-democratic manoeuvre tomorrow – it should be for Islington North Labour members to decide their candidate, not a neighbouring MP drunk on his own power.”

They added: “Keir’s paper suggests this blocking is necessary for Labour’s electoral prospects – that will come as a surprise to Jeremy’s constituents, who have elected him 10 times with massive majorities. And it will come as a surprise to party members in Islington North, who overwhelmingly want Jeremy to be the Labour candidate.”