Sir Keir Starmer has banned Jeremy Corbyn from standing as a Labour candidate at the next election.
The party leader ruled out any chance of his predecessor contesting Islington North as he welcomed the news that the equalities watchdog had lifted the party out of special measures over its past failings on antisemitism.
“Let me be very clear, Jeremy Corbyn will not stand at the next general election as a Labour Party candidate,” Sir Keir said after a speech in east London.
“What I said about the party changing I meant and we are not going back.”
Sir Keir has long indicated Mr Corbyn will not be standing again for Labour but this is the first time he confirmed the barring of the veteran MP who led the party between 2015 and 2019.
Mr Corbyn was suspended from the parliamentary party over his response to the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s (EHRC) damning report in 2020.
He suggested complaints of anti-semitism had been "dramatically overstated" for political reasons.
Although his membership was later reinstated, Sir Keir refused to let him back in the parliamentary party which means he sits in the Commons as an independent.
If Mr Corbyn stands again, it could split the vote, he has significant local support.
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