Corbyn 'won't be Labour candidate at election,' says Reeves despite local party’s protests in north London

Jeremy Corbyn will not be a Labour candidate at the next general election, says Rachel Reeves despite protests by the local party in his Islington North constituency.

The shadow Chancellor flatly ruled out the former leader standing for Labour after the antisemitism row which so damaged the party when he was at the helm.

The process has been opened to select a Labour contender for Islington North, the area where Mr Corbyn has been the MP since 1983.

But he was stripped of the Labour whip, so is no longer a Labour MP, after Sir Keir Starmer became leader and a probe into antisemitism within the party.

Ms Reeves told BBC Radio London: “When Jeremy Corbyn was leader of the Labour Party, I’m afraid that antisemitism was rife within the Labour Party and we were investigated by the Equalities and Human Rights Commission over the treatment of Jewish people.

“When that report was published, Jeremy Corbyn sadly refused to acknowledge what had happened in the Labour Party and his role within it.”

She added: “We have got an independent complaints process within the Labour Party.

“He’s no longer a Labour MP and he will not be the Labour candidate at the next election.”

But local Labour members are still pushing for Mr Corbyn, now an independent MP, to be able to throw his hat into the ring to be the party’s candidate for the north London seat.

In a series of tweets, Islington North Labour Party said: “Statement from Islington North CLP Officers: Islington North CLP members have been informed that the National Executive Committee (NEC) has opened the parliamentary candidate selection procedure for Islington North.

“We support Keir Starmer’s statement that “Local Party members should select their candidates for every election.” We ask that local democracy be respected & that we be able to choose our prospective parliamentary candidate from amongst any Labour Party member in good standing.

“An undemocratic selection process would harm the Labour Party’s efforts to defeat the conservatives and to achieve the real change this country and our communities in Islington North desperately need.”

Under the selection process, applications for the Labour stronghold seat will close on May 20 with a shortlist announced a week later.

The party will then host an online hustings for local members on May 29.

The Labour candidate will be announced on June 1.

Mr Corbyn, who has won Islington North for Labour at each of the last 10 general elections, has hinted that he may stand as an independent candidate.

He has made clear that he would like to continue to represent the area in Parliament.

He would be a very high-profile candidate. But independent candidates, without a party machine behind them, often struggle to win.

Sir Keir faced anger in Labour ranks over his decision to welcome Tory Rightwinger Natalie Elphicke into the Labour Party but still deny the whip to veteran MP Diane Abbott.

Hackney North and Stoke Newington Ms Abbott was suspended from the parliamentary Labour party last April for appearing in a letter to the Observer to diminish racism against Jewish people.

She withdrew her remarks and apologised "for any anguish caused" but still remains outside the parliamentary Labour party.