Labour councillor suspended for backing Jeremy Corbyn

Labour has suspended a councillor in Islington after he openly supported Jeremy Corbyn’s independent campaign.

Phil Graham backed Mr Corbyn after the former Labour leader, who was stripped of the whip by Sir Keir Starmer in 2020, confirmed he would contest the forthcoming election against Sir Keir’s party in Islington North.

Mr Graham, who represents the Bun Hill ward and describes himself as a “proud socialist”, endorsed Mr Corbyn, in a post on his Facebook page, on Friday.

“If you live in Islington North, there is only one candidate you should be considering in the general election, Jeremy Corbyn,” he wrote.

The councillor has previously called on Labour to restore the whip to Diane Abbott, who was Mr Corbyn’s shadow home secretary and was suspended last year, after penning a letter to the Observer that suggested Jewish people did not experience racism “all their lives”.

Mr Graham previously shared posts on X, formerly Twitter, from Left-wing activists claiming to “despise” Labour and saying there was “no hope” for the party over its stance on Gaza.

Mr Corbyn told the Islington Tribune that he would fight to retain a seat he has represented for 40 years, adding: “We have to stand up and defend our rights.”

He also sought to appeal to lifelong Labour voters, saying: “I am here to represent the people of Islington North on exactly the same principles that I’ve stood by my whole life: social justice, human rights and peace.”

His decision to run as an independent candidate in a seat that he has represented for more than 40 years raises the prospect that grassroots party activists and members of the 30-strong Socialist Campaign Group of Labour MPs could refuse to campaign against him.

Mr Corbyn has made a number of criticisms of Sir Keir, over his attempts to anchor the party towards the centre ground, accusing him of being insufficiently pro-Palestine in the wake of the Oct 7 attacks – while also attacking his economic policies.