Socialist leader of the Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn has said that he will not be leading the party in the next election but has ruled out resigning immediately.
Speaking from his Islington constituency in the early hours of Friday morning, Mr Corbyn said: “I will not lead the party in any future general election campaign.
“I will discuss with our party to ensure there is a process now of reflection on this result and on the policies that the party will take going forward.
“And I will lead the party during that period to ensure that discussion takes place and we move on into the future.”
The Tories had broken down the so-called “Red Wall”, taking a high number of traditional Labour voters in the industrial heartlands and other working-class regions that voted leave, largely due to Corbyn’s abandonment of Brexit.
At time of reporting (5 am), with over 500 of 650 constituencies declared, Labour had lost 54 seats, six to the SNP and 48 to the Conservatives with some seats going from Labour Red to Tory Blue for the first time in a century, such as Newcastle-under-Lyme. The Tories have taken solid Labour seats from Blyth Valley in Northumberland to Wrexham in North Wales.
Labour MP and Remainer Hillary Benn, son of Brexiteer and party grandee Tony Benn, told Sky News in response to the losses: “It looks like we’re heading towards the lowest number of Labour MPS since 1935 — that’s more than 80 years ago. We have failed to win the people’s trust and confidence.”
The Labour Party has come under criticism for not only abandoning its Brexit voters, but the rise of antisemitism in the party under Corbyn’s leadership. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is investigating the party for anti-Jewish racism, with the Simon Weisenthal Center placing Jeremy Corbyn and Labour as the top threat to Jews.
The Conservatives have secured a majority in the House of Commons after winning more than 326 seats. Read the Breitbart London livewire for further updates here.