Sir Keir Starmer could face a double headache in London caused by former members of his own party.
Jeremy Corbyn is currently sitting as an independent in the House of Commons and will be forced to run without party support if he chooses to stand in Islington North at the next general election.
He is 5/4 with bookmakers to win the seat, which are remarkably short odds for an independent in what will likely cause Starmer a few sleepless nights ahead of the contest.
But that could be the least of his problems.
Former Kensington MP Emma Dent Coad has indicated that she could be interested in running as an independent next time out too.
She lost the seat in 2019 by just 150 votes, which means splitting the Labour vote will likely hand victory to the Conservatives.
Dent Coad quit the Labour Party earlier this year, saying it is “unrecognisable” under Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership.
Last year she said she had been blocked from standing as an MP for the party at the next election.
Her exclusion was one of a number where leftwingers were removed from Labour parliamentary candidate lists.
A crowdfunder has been set up to raise money for her campaign. If it hits £30,000 then her name will be on the ballot.
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