Jeremy Corbyn will not stand as Labour candidate at next election, Sir Keir Starmer confirms

Jeremy Corbyn will not stand as a Labour party candidate at the next general election, Sir Keir Starmer has confirmed.

The former Labour leader had hoped to be readmitted so he could stand for re-election as a Labour candidate – an aspiration that now lies in tatters.

Speaking as Britain's equality watchdog said Labour had taken action to improve how it handles anti-Semitism complaints, Sir Keir insisted his party had changed and were “not going back”.

Asked by reporters whether he could say “categorically” whether or not his predecessor as leader Mr Corbyn would stand for the party at the next election, Sir Keir said: “Let me be very clear about that – Jeremy Corbyn will not stand for Labour at the next general election, as a Labour Party candidate.

Former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn will not stand for the party at the next election.

“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.”

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) found Labour, under Mr Corbyn, had been responsible for unlawful discrimination. Mr Corbyn has previously repeatedly refused to rule out standing as an independent candidate in his Islington North constituency.

The press conference also saw Sir Keir insist he “challenged” Mr Corbyn “both in the shadow cabinet and publicly” on anti-Semitism.

He said: “As you know, it’s a matter of record that on anti-Semitism I challenged the previous leader both in the shadow cabinet and publicly on that. And it’s absolutely clear that the Labour Party lost its way and that’s why I knew that my first duty as leader of the Labour Party was to change the Labour Party and to tear anti-Semitism out.

“That’s why on my acceptance speech, I made an apology on behalf of the Labour Party and made that my commitment.”

The move to ban Mr Corbyn will infuriate some on the left of the party, who have repeatedly demanded Labour reinstate him.

However, Sir Keir warned Momentum, the grassroots movement supportive of Mr Corbyn, they could get behind the Labour party or “leave”. He said: “This is an important day. It’s a day of reflection. The change that we brought about is substantial and it is permanent. The Labour Party has changed.

"And if there’s anyone in the Labour Party that does not like that change, then my message to them is very clear this morning – the door is open, and you can leave.”

Earlier Sir Keir welcomed the EHRC announcement, and condemned anti-Semitism as “an evil”. He said: “Today is an important moment in the history of the Labour Party.

“It’s taken many, many months of hard work and humility to get here. It’s meant rebuilding trust, not just with the Jewish community, but with all those who were rightly appalled by the culture of the party and the previous leadership.

“When I became leader, I said I would turn Labour around and give it back to the British people, and the most important and urgent part of that was tearing out anti-Semitism by its roots. Anti-Semitism is an evil and no political party that cultivates it deserves to hold power.”