Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has criticised the Labour party under Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership, saying the prime minister has “opened the door for Farage”.
In an interview with ITV News, Corbyn said “what we need is people to stand up against Farage”.
“[Keir Starmer has] actually opened the door for Farage … And his endless statements, which are very hostile towards asylum seekers and refugees, actually play straight into the hands of Farage,” he told ITV News Political Correspondent Shehab Khan.
The MP for Islington North said Farage is a “real danger” because of his “simplistic populist approach” and said he didn’t want to see either Starmer or Farage in Number 10.
Jeremy Corbyn condemned Keir Starmer’s “hostile” statements about asylum seekers and refugees
He added that he speaks to Labour MPs “all the time”.
“Better than that, they come seeking me out to tell me how bad it is, how shocking it is,”
“And I said, well, there is an alternative and we are the alternative.”
“Somebody advised Angela Rayner she didn’t need to pay”
Corbyn refused to say if he thought Angela Rayner should resign, after she admitted underpaying stamp duty on her second home.
Rayner worked closely with Corbyn during his five years as leader, having held several roles in his shadow cabinet.
Speaking about the mounting pressure Rayner faces, he said: “I think that she made an enormous mistake and it’s a real problem for her and Starmer.”
“Clearly somebody advised her she didn’t need to pay and somebody else advised her she did.
“Well, that’s a bit odd to me. I mean, if you buy a place, you have to pay stamp duty.”
When asked if she should resign, he said: “That’s up to Keir Starmer and her to decide what to do.
“I don’t know what they’re going to do. I’m not in the Labour Party.
“What I want, though, is a government that’s going to do something about housing policies in this country and not sort of obsess themselves about second homes.”
Your Party
Corbyn, who currently sits as an independent MP, did not rule out becoming the leader of the new party he formed with Coventry South MP Zarah Sultana.
The party was announced in July, and is currently called Your Party.
It came after he was barred from standing as a Labour candidate by Sir Keir Starmer in the last general election, which came after the whip was removed in 2020 over his response to the scathing Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) report into antisemitism in the party.
When asked if he wanted to become the leader of Your Party, he said: “I’m very happy to take the helm, if you like, in getting the party established and set up.”
He added: “I rule nothing out, I’m happy to serve.”
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