Jeremy Corbyn, an independent candidate running for Parliament, won his seat against a candidate from the Labour party, which he once led.
It was a vindication for Mr. Corbyn, who was running for the first time against the party he led from 2015 to 2020.
Mr. Corbyn, who has held the seat since 1983, was suspended as Labour leader and eventually purged by the party over his response to allegations of antisemitism during his tenure.
For many in his constituency — an area of London with pockets of deep wealth alongside deprivation — the race meant choosing between a longstanding affinity for Labour and a politician who had represented the area for more than 40 years and was a deeply familiar presence in the community. For others, Mr. Corbyn’s handling of alleged antisemitism on the hard-left of the Labour Party while he was its leader was an enduring stain on his reputation.
Heading into Election Day, a poll by YouGov had declared the race to be a tossup, with the Labour candidate, Praful Nargund, holding a slight lead over Mr. Corbyn.
Paul Anthony Ogunwemimo, who said he had lived in the area for 14 years, called Mr. Corbyn “a very nice man.” But he had voted for the Labour candidate on Thursday, he said, largely to support Keir Starmer, who replaced Mr. Corbyn as the head of the party.
Hibbah Filli, who was born and raised in Mr. Corbyn’s constituency, said many of her friends and family members had voted for him in the past as “more of a Labour thing.” Voting for the first time on Thursday, she said she had backed Mr. Corbyn.
“I feel like he’s very dedicated to the community,” she said. “I feel like he’s done a good job for a long time, and I feel like we need a diverse range of voices in Parliament.”
Source: Elections - nytimes.com
