Could Corbyn triumph as an independent candidate?

Former party leader and cult figure Jeremy Corbyn is facing expulsion from the Labour Party because he has accepted a donation of £5,000 from a body called "We Deserve Better" to support his "political activities".

- SEAN O'GRADY

Some Labour officials regard We Deserve Better as a front organisation for dissident ex-Labour supporters and members to back “independent” socialistic candidates at the next election, possibly including those representing the Greens and George Galloway’s Workers’ Party of Britain. Thus, We Deserve Better are supporting the Green Party’s Carla Denyer against shadow cabinet member Thangam Debbonaire in the Bristol Central constituency.

In response to the revelations, Wes Streeting, shadow health secretary and long-time hammer of the left, declared that Mr Corbyn in any case would not be an official Labour candidate nor an MP in the next parliament. Labour Party rules state that any member “declaring an intention to stand in a public election in opposition to a party candidate” faces automatic exclusion from the party. That justification for expelling Mr Corbyn is seemingly a bit of a stretch at the moment, but such is Sir Keir Starmer’s grip that it can’t be ruled out.

Is this significant?

Yes. Only a little over four years ago Mr Corbyn was the man leading the Labour Party as their candidate for prime minister. He’d won a clear mandate, twice, from the party membership, and had led the party to near victory in 2017, albeit followed by ignominious defeat in 2019. For many he was an unlikely but inspirational prophet. His fall has been remarkable, but while his enemies have been relentless in wanting to expunge his influence, he hasn’t proved very adept at protecting his own position – too stubborn, or principled, to compromise with the present leadership.