Starmer motion blocking Corbyn standing for Labour at election to be considered by NEC
Labour's ruling national executive committee will be asked to consider a motion backed by Keir Starmer on Tuesday, blocking Corbyn from fighting his seat for the party
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
Labour’s national executive committee are to be asked to back a motion proposed by Keir Starmer formally blocking Jeremy Corbyn from being a Labour candidate at the next election.
The motion, which is seconded by shadow cabinet member and national campaign co-ordinator Shabana Mahmood, will be brought before the NEC when it meets on Tuesday.
It confirms that Corbyn “will not be endorsed by the NEC as a candidate for the Labour Party at the next general election” and adds the general secretary should write to confirm this with the former-leader immediately after the meeting.
Critically, the motion suggests Labour’s prospects of winning the next general election could be harmed if Corbyn represented the party at the next election.
It refers to the 2019 general election result, which saw the lowest number of MPs elected since 1935, and suggests the NEC must now act in the “best political interests” of Labour.
The motion also confirms that the current MP for Islington North would remain a member of the party, despite not being allowed to stand as an election candidate.
Luke Akehurst, a member of Labour’s NEC, tweeted on Monday:”I intend to vote for this motion at NEC tomorrow.”
The 39 member NEC will now vote on the motion, with Starmer holding the biggest majority of members on the ruling body.
It will almost certainly be opposed by members more closely associated with the former leader.
In February, as the EHRC confirmed Labour had been taken out of special measures over antisemitism, Starmer told a news conference:””Let me be very clear about that: Jeremy Corbyn will not stand for Labour at the next general election, as a Labour party candidate.
“What I said about the party changing, I meant, and we are not going back, and that is why Jeremy Corbyn will not stand as a Labour candidate at the next general election.”
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