Jeremy Corbyn’s constituents have expressed their “love” for their MP after he announced he would stand as an Independent candidate in the General Election.
Speaking close to his home in Islington North, most voters spoken to by the PA news agency said they would support the former Labour leader regardless of the party he represents.
Mr Corbyn has been suspended by Labour since 2020 after he refused to fully accept the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s findings that the party broke equality law when he was in charge and said antisemitism had been “dramatically overstated for political reasons”.
Despite this, constituents said they “love” the way he represents the views of his constituency, including towards Palestine and Gaza, and would stand by him.
Yusra Ali, 31, an NHS administrator from Islington said she voted for Mr Corbyn in the last election, and plans to vote for him as an Independent candidate.
“I think he’s a genuine person. He stands for minorities like myself. He stands for the working class people – for people like myself who live in council houses. So I think he represents me and my family.
“I always see him standing with people of colour”, she added.
She said her message to Mr Corbyn would be: “Just to stay the way you are, we love you, you are really humble, down to earth. You support my people and my background and I just wish you all the best.”
Halimo Abdulle, 38, a stay-at-home mother who lives in Islington also spoke of her “love” for Mr Corbyn.
“You don’t feel he’s an MP or a big man, he says ‘hello’, he can talk to you nicely. I just love him,” she said.
Ms Abdulle said she voted for Mr Corbyn in the last election and plans to vote for him again, describing the news he is running as an Independent as “amazing”.
“I think it’s amazing and I actually think he can win,” she said.
“Every time we go to his office he treats us nice, he comes to every event we have. He actually keeps the community together.”
She said her message for Mr Corbyn is: “I hope you win for July.”
“Don’t stop. We really need you,” echoed Sam Borg from Islington.
The 28-year-old voted for Mr Corbyn in the last election and would “definitely” vote for the former Labour Party leader again “even though he’s Independent”.
Speaking about Mr Corbyn’s decision, they said: “I think it’s brilliant because I think the UK really missed out in 2016.
“Since the 80s, I think he’s always been pro Palestine… there’s a little bit of an edge where it’s like ‘he’s a good person’.”
“The Labour Party is not coinciding with the working class everyday ideologies now”, he continued. “He’s got my vote definitely.”
Alex Thompson, 42, a security officer from east London agreed that “it doesn’t matter” whether Mr Corbyn runs as an Independent candidate or not, urging people to vote for him.
“He can actually impact the community positively so if he’s running in the election it’s a good thing, I actually support that and would actually urge people to vote for him.”
He explained: “People put their faith or their trust in someone they think can actually bring positive impact in their community. If they trust him, they should still vote for him.”
Maxi Eyob, 24, a building surveyor said there were “less barriers” for Mr Corbyn to “walk past” following the news.
“I think him being Independent (means) he has more say in what needs to go on,” he said.
“The battles he fights for, especially the Palestine one recently, he’s really about the community, about peace so I think he’s alright,” he added.
Ali Jamal, 28, a hotel worker from Islington agreed: “As long as he shows his full support towards Palestine and Gaza, everything that’s happening, full solidarity, then he’s got our support as well.”
Ness Sutherland Dodd, 26, a data consultant, agreed that he “liked” Mr Corbyn and that he had voted for him in the last election.
Mr Sutherland Dodd said his “good opinion” of Mr Corbyn came after the MP responded to a letter he sent, asking for the MP to support a ceasefire in Palestine.
He said that his message to Mr Corbyn was: “Keep doing what you’re doing, good luck in the election, running as an Independent.”
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