Five pro-Palestine independent candidates, including former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, have won the UK general election, with Israel’s war in Gaza among the top issues for voters.
The other four independent candidates who won their seats from Labour on Friday include Shockat Adam in Leicester South, Ayoub Khan in Birmingham Perry Barr, Adnan Hussain in Blackburn and Iqbal Mohamed in Dewsbury and Batley.
Both the Conservatives, who were defeated in the election, and Labour have said they want the fighting in Gaza to stop. However, both have supported Israel’s right to defend itself, angering pro-Palestinian and Muslim voters across the country.
Labour leader Keir Starmer, who will be the next prime minister, was booed with chants of “Free Palestine” both at the polling station in his Holborn and St Pancras constituency and at the vote count when it was declared he had won his seat.
Corbyn, 75, who has represented the London constituency of Islington North for more than 40 years, was re-elected after defeating Labour’s Praful Nargund by 24,120 votes to 16,873.
He said those who voted for him were “looking for a government that, on the world stage, will seek peace, not war, and will not allow the terrible conditions in Gaza to continue at the present time.”
In a separate statement on Friday morning, thanking his supporters, Corbyn said the outcome was a “glimpse of a different future, one that puts the interests of the many ahead of the few”.
“It is also a warning – a warning to the new government that dissent cannot be crushed without consequences.”
“It has been the honour of my life to represent you, the people of Islington North. I will continue to learn from you, be accountable to you and be inspired by you. The future we speak of is not a dream; our community is proof that a kinder, fairer world is possible.”
Adam beat Labour MP Jonathan Ashworth in Leicester South. Mohamed, whose key focus areas include a ceasefire in Gaza, beat Labour candidate Heather Iqbal in Dewsbury and Batley.
In Blackburn, Labour’s Kate Hollern lost to Adnan Hussain, who said in his online statement to voters: “I promise to make your concerns about the injustice inflicted on the people of Gaza heard in the places where our so-called representatives have failed.”
As leader, Corbyn moved the Labour Party away from the centre and energised supporters. He led the Labour Party in the 2016 vote to leave the European Union and did better than expected in the 2017 general election. However, the party performed poorly in the 2019 election and he stepped down as leader.
His time as party leader was highly controversial, with supporters saying his popular policies were drowned out by negative media coverage and critics attacking his approach to Brexit, his handling of allegations of anti-Semitism and his appeal in traditional Labour strongholds.
He was suspended from the party in 2020 after refusing to accept the findings of an investigation by a human rights watchdog into allegations that anti-Semitism was widespread under his leadership.
At the start of the election, Corbyn announced he would contest the constituency as “an independent voice for equality, democracy and peace”.
SOURCE: NEWS AGENCIES
Source: https://www.ocafezinho.com/2024/07/05/candidatos-pro-palestina-garantem-vitorias-nas-eleicoes-do-reino-unido/
