Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn confirmed he will compete as an independent candidate in Islington North, vowing to defend policies not adopted by Labour or the Conservatives, such as rent control and the abolition of the two-child benefits cap.

According to The Guardian, Corbyn intended to announce his plans next Tuesday, but PM Rishi Sunak’s election announcement forced him to change. 

A close ally revealed to The Guardian that he was wanting to notify his constituents first, which is what he did by writing an article for the Islington Tribune saying: “When I was first elected, I made a promise to stand by my constituents no matter what … In Islington North, we keep our promises.”

Corbyn has previously called out Labour’s decision to stop local members from participating in shortlisting candidates, calling on members to “stand up and defend our rights”.

Sem Moema, a member of the London assembly, and Praful Nargund, an Islington councillor, were shortlisted by Labour to run against Corbyn, and the winner of the selection process us due to be announced on June 1.

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Corbyn said: “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.”

He pledged to defend “a genuine alternative to the corrupt years of this Tory government”, including rent controls, public ownership of energy and water, the abolition of the two-child-benefits cap, a Green New Deal, and an ethical foreign policy based on peace and human rights.

Last year, the UK's National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Labour Party approved a motion from Keir Starmer, the current Labour Leader, preventing Corbyn from being endorsed as a candidate by the party. 

However, this does not prohibit Corbyn from running as an independent - which may also pose a challenge for Starmer as Corbyn still enjoys relatively high levels of popularity. But running as an independent against a Labour candidate may cost Corbyn his membership.

Starmer has been a point of controversy among party members after ousting Corbyn. Speculations around their more "cordial" relationship might have led to that, as Corbyn remains popular among UK youth. 

Right now, the Labour Party is involved in legal disputes with Corbyn loyalists within the party, who provided evidence that showcased internal bias that led to his ejection. Moreover, Starmer has been linked to UK MI5 intelligence, a service that has consistently worked to diminish Corbyn's work. 

In November, two leaders of Labour councils in Lancashire, UK, urged Starmer to resign over his call to not push for a ceasefire in Gaza.