By Andrew Quinn
Jeremy Corbyn has confirmed that he will be setting up a new political party. The former Labour leader said the “democratic foundations of a new kind of political party will soon take shape.” It comes after MP Zarah Sultana announced she was leaving Labour to co-lead a new party with Corbyn. The Islington North MP said on social media: 鈥淩eal change is coming. 鈥淥ne year on from the election, this Labour Government has refused to deliver the change people expected and deserved. Poverty, inequality and war are not inevitable. Our country needs to change direction, now. 鈥淐ongratulations to Zarah Sultana on her principled decision to leave the Labour Party. I am delighted that she will help us build a real alternative. 鈥淭he democratic foundations of a new kind of political party will soon take shape. Discussions are ongoing 鈥 and I am excited to work alongside all communities to fight for the future people deserve. 鈥淭ogether, we can create something that is desperately missing from our broken political system: hope.鈥 Corbyn was Labour leader between 2015 and 2019. He was the most left-wing Labour leader for decades and had an unexpected victory in the 2015 leadership contest. He faced lots of internal criticism and saw off a leadership challenge in 2016. He lost both the 2017 and 2019 elections – but did slightly better than expected in the first one. Corbyn had been the Labour MP for Islington North from 1983 until last year, when he was expelled from the party. He has since been an independent, and beat Labour in the constituency by over 7,000 votes in last year’s general election. Prime Minister Keir Starmer had been in Corbyn’s shadow cabinet and vowed to copy many of Corbyn’s policy ideas when running for leader. But he has since rolled back on that and has openly criticised his predecessor. It is unclear if any other left-wing Labour MPs will join Corbyn’s new party. Alloa and Grangemouth MP Brian Leishman has said he was a Corbyn supported and joined the party during his leadership, but there has been no suggestion he would join the new party. To sign up to the Daily R ecord Politics newsletter, click here