The surprise announcement by the prime minister Rishi Sunak, of the date of the next British general election, 4 July, immediately triggered a series of challenges. The most important, of course, is that for the leadership of the country: the victory of the Labour Of Keir Starmerwhich the main polls show ahead by at least 20 points over the conservative party in government.
Then there are the minor, or symbolic, challenges: the most exciting appears to be the one just launched by the former Labor secretary Jeremy Corbynwho just this morning launched his candidacy as an independent in the constituency of Islington Northof which he has been the Labor representative since 1983. In an editorial published by the local newspaper, the Islington Tribune, Corbyn reiterated his intent to serve the community: “Every day, I am inspired by the work being done in our hospital, mosques, churches, youth clubs, schools, food banks and community centres. Meeting people, learning from them and working together with them to build a more just society. This is what it means to be an MP. I believe in democracy.”
But he also distanced himself from the party in which he has been a member since he was 16, recalling how the Central Committee denied him the possibility of running for office among its ranks, selecting other possible names in his place. “To the local members of the Labor Party of Islington North were prevented from choosing their candidate, which stripped everyone in the community of their decision-making power. I am shocked by the way local people have been treated. We must stand up and defend our rights. That’s why I’m standing as an independent for the people of Islington North.” The reaction of the party, which has it, was immediate expelled.
Corbyn’s challenge has a real chance of damaging Labour, which risks losing one of its most secure constituencies London. In Islington North the former secretary is deeply rooted and appreciated: he lives in a modest apartment in the neighbourhood, the sixth poorest in London: he is a fixed presence at the main local events, he has consolidated relationships with the multicultural economic and social fabric, including the he large Muslim community alienated by Starmer’s choice not to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. His candidacy is the last act of a conflict between the former secretary and the new Labor leadership began in 2019.
After the burning defeat of Labour, under his leadership, in the elections of that year, Corbyn was forced to resign and replaced by Keir Starmer, until then a close collaborator of his. Starmer had almost immediately cleared out the Corbyn supporters gathered in the movement Momentum and much further to the left of the centrist line chosen by the new secretariat. The isolation operation was very systematic at a national level, with representatives of Momentum gradually ousted from any decision-making process, both at a local and congressional level, so much so that for a few months the movement has been evaluating whether to officially break away from Labor and create a force independent left-wing politics.
Starmer publicly condemned Corbyn for the publication, in 2020, of the Equality and Human Rights Commission reports which had confirmed cases of antisemitism and abuses in the party under the leadership of the former secretary. While condemning all forms of antisemitism, Corbyn had commented: “Anyone who says there is no antisemitism in the Labor Party is wrong” but added that “the scale of the problem has also been dramatically exaggerated for political reasons by our opponents, both at inside and outside the party, as well as from much of the media”. This reaction had cost him temporary suspension from parliament, which became permanent with a direct decision by Starmer. Since then Corbyn has participated in parliamentary work as an independent, contesting the Labor line both on economic policy dossiers and on foreign policy. He is, for example, a constant presence at the London ceasefire marches Gazaand opposes in parliament the sending of weapons to Israel.
