Former Labour leader Corbyn to stand as independent in UK election

Jeremy Corbyn, the former leader of Britain’s Labour Party, will stand as an independent candidate at the general election on July 4, he said on Friday.

Appealing to life-long Labour voters, Mr Corbyn said: “”I am here to represent the people of Islington North on exactly the same principles that I’ve stood by my whole life: social justice, human rights and peace.”

It ends months of speculation about the former Labour leader’s political future after he was suspended from the party and effectively barred from standing for it again.

Mr Corbyn was first elected to represent Islington North in 1983 and has won it at each of the past 10 elections.