A defiant Jeremy Corbyn has told Labour members in his Islington North branch he wants to carry on as their MP, after a motion by the local party supporting him was passed almost unanimously.
The former Labour leader, who has been barred from standing for the party again at the next election and faces a choice about whether to run as an independent, gave no sign of wanting to give up his job as an MP.
A motion thanking Corbyn for his “commitment and service to the people” and saying it was members’ “democratic right to select our MP” was passed by 98% of attenders at the local party’s monthly general meeting on Wednesday.
There were 60 members who backed the motion, one abstention and no votes against, according to a spokesperson for Corbyn.
The motion read: “This CLP would like to thank our sitting MP J Corbyn for his commitment and service to the people, and want to express that it should be our democratic right to select our MP.”
Corbyn continues to sit as an independent in parliament after Labour’s national executive committee in March backed a proposal from Keir Starmer not to endorse him as a candidate at the next election.
The statement about his desire to continue as an MP will fuel speculation he could still seek to contest the seat he has held for 40 years.
However, running as an independent would most likely result in Corbyn being expelled from Labour.
He has previously criticised the move to block him from standing as the party’s candidate, calling it a “shameful attack on party democracy”.
Starmer has sought to signal a total overhaul of the Labour party since Corbyn’s leadership, and distance himself as much as possible from the man he served under as shadow Brexit secretary.
Citing issues with antisemitism under Corbyn, Starmer has repeatedly told those unhappy with his changes they are not welcome in Labour any longer and should leave the party.
But the move risks inflaming tensions with Corbyn’s allies and others on the left who fear internal party democracy is being stifled.
Earlier this year, Starmer heralded the Equality and Human Rights Commission lifting Labour out of special measures as a watershed moment and an endorsement of efforts to tackle antisemitism since he took over as leader just over three years ago.
It was Corbyn’s response to a report by the EHRC, and his accusation that opponents and the media had “overstated” issues with antisemitism, that first led to his suspension from the party in October 2020.
In a statement on Thursday, Corbyn said: “As the government lurches from crisis to crisis, we should be offering a more hopeful alternative rooted in social, economic, racial and climate justice.
“We need a political strategy that inspires people to believe in a fairer, kinder and greener world.
“I have spent the past 40 years campaigning alongside my community for a mass redistribution of wealth, ownership and power. That is what I’ll continue to do.”
• This article was amended on 18 May 2023. An earlier version referred to “Corbyn’s response to a report by the EHRC, which he said “overstated” issues with antisemitism”. To clarify: Corbyn accused opponents and the media of “overstating” the problem.
