JEREMY Corbyn said “he isn’t going anywhere”, with Keir Starmer set to bring a motion confirming the party is blocking their ex-leader from standing as a Labour candidate at the next election.
Starmer will propose a motion that will make clear that the National Executive Committee (NEC) will not endorse Corbyn at the next general election, expected in around 18 months’ time.
The party leader had previously ruled out the left-wing veteran standing again for Labour last month, as Starmer insisted the party had 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”.
But in a statement, Corbyn hit back at the decision and accused the party leadership of undermining the party’s internal democracy.
He 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.”
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.”
Starmer’s announcement of his intention to rule out Corbyn standing again for Labour came following the announcement that the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) had decided to lift the party out of two years of special measures over its failings on antisemitism under Corbyn.
Corbyn is currently sitting in the Commons as an independent after he was suspended from the parliamentary 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.
