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Jeremy Corbyn said he had "no intention of giving up" fighting for his constituents after being banned from running as a Labor candidate, adding: "I will not be intimidated into silence." Sir Keir Starmer has had the party's National Executive Committee (NEC) vote not to back his predecessor in his Islington North for Labor candidacy in the upcoming election. Corbyn did not say he would run as an independent, as he criticized on Tuesday what he called a "disgraceful attack on party democracy, party membership and natural justice".
But the former Labor leader added: “I will not be intimidated by silence. I have spent my life fighting for a fairer society on behalf of the people of Islington North and I have no intention of stopping now.
Corbyn accused his successor of launching "an attack on the rights of his own Labor members" and "breaking his promise to build a united and democratic party that promotes social, economic and climate justice."
If Corbyn were to run as an independent in the seat he has represented since 1983, he could create an entertaining challenge to Sir Keir at the next general election.
But such a move could also see him expelled from the party of which he has been a member for nearly 60 years.
Sir Keir's NEC motion saying Mr Corbyn "will not be endorsed by the NEC as a candidate on behalf of the Labor Party at the next general election" passed 22-12.
He cited Labour's sad defeat under Corbyn in the 2019 general election and argued that his candidacy should be blocked.
Keir Starmer, unfortunately, behaves as if he is some kind of Putin of the Labor Party
Labor's chances of winning the upcoming election and securing a majority in the House of Commons would be "significantly reduced" if Corbyn is endorsed, he argued.
The move will not be welcomed by all wings of the Parliamentary Labor Party, where Corbyn retains the support of those aligned with the Socialist campaign group.
Nadia Whittome MP, who sat on Sir Keir's bench, described the motion as "divisive, an attack on party democracy and a distraction".
Jon Lansman, co-founder of the Corbyn-backed lobby group Momentum, suggested the Labor leader is acting like an "authoritarian".
"Keir Starmer, unfortunately, is behaving like he's some kind of Putin of the Labor Party. That's not how we do politics," he told Times Radio.
However, Lansman said it would be a "big mistake" for Corbyn to run as an independent, saying he wanted to see Sir Keir form a Labor government.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said that although he had not seen the evidence in front of the NEC, "it is absolutely clear to me that what Keir Starmer is doing is changing our party for the better" and "ensures that the issue of anti-Semitism is addressed."
Corbyn's allies have signaled Sir Keir's support for local members choosing their candidates 'for every election' when he stands to become Labor leader.
"Labor candidate selections must be more democratic and we must end the imposition of candidates by the NEC," he said in 2020.
The Islington North Labor Party said on Tuesday it "strongly supports" Sir Keir's earlier position and rejected the NEC's "undue interference" in the constituency.
They argued that it "undermines our goal of defeating conservatives and working with our communities for social justice."
Shabana Mahmood, a member of the NEC and national coordinator of the Labor campaign, insisted that constituency members "have the opportunity to vote" but "it is still up to the NEC to approve these candidates."
"It is a clear demonstration that Keir is making changes to our party to ensure we can win back the trust of the British people," he told reporters.
“We are in this position because Jeremy has not taken responsibility. I think it was incumbent on him to respond to the findings of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) in a way that acknowledges the seriousness of what he said happened to our party. under his leadership, he did not.”
Corbyn is still a Labor member but has lost his whip, meaning he sits in the House of Commons as an independent.
Party rules mean you could lose your membership if you announce you are running against an official Labor candidate.
He was suspended for his response to the EHRC's finding that the Labor Party under his leadership was responsible for unlawful acts of harassment and discrimination while fighting to combat antisemitism.
The equality watchdog pulled Labor out of two years of special measures last month, in what Sir Keir called a "significant moment in Labor Party history".
The party leader then quickly announced that he would exclude his predecessor before presenting the official motion that sealed his fate on Tuesday.
PA wire
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