Sir Keir Starmer has effectively ruled out Jeremy Corbyn standing as a Labour Party candidate at the next general election.
Speaking on the BBC's Today program, the Labour leader said that he does not "see the circumstances in which Jeremy Corbyn will stand as a Labour candidate", adding that Labour is continuing apace with its selection processes.
The former leader had the whip suspended over two years ago following his response to the Equalities and Human Rights Commission's report about antisemitism in the Labour Party during his tenure. He insisted that the scale of antisemitism in the party was "dramatically overstated for political reasons".
Asked about Corbyn's future in the Labour Party, Starmer said: "I don't see the circumstances in which that can happen. Obviously, we've not got to the selection of that particular constituency yet, but I don't see the circumstances in which Jeremy Corbyn will stand as a Labour candidate."
Could Jeremy Corbyn stand as a Labour candidate at the next election? @MishalHusain asks Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.
— BBC Radio 4 Today (@BBCr4today) December 5, 2022
"I don't see the circumstances in which he will stand at the next election as a Labour MP," he replieshttps://t.co/Ddi8M1gaTN | #R4Today pic.twitter.com/7mQJAGWzX8
"We're going through various constituencies at the moment. The ones that we've selected for first are the ones that are the most marginal, so we're working through the constituencies, but as I say, I don't see the circumstances in which Jeremy Corbyn will stand at the next election as a Labour MP."
Asked about selection process and when that will be completed, Starmer said: "Yes, we've already started on that, but as you'll appreciate, it takes a lot of time and resource to do batches of them, which is what we're doing at the moment. We started with the most marginal seats that we don't hold, for obvious reasons, and we're getting through those as quickly as we can, and we'll continue to do so."
Starmer's comments come after senior Labour figures said last month that there was no chance of Corbyn standing as a Labour candidate ever again, even if he were to apologise “unequivocally, unambiguously and without reservation”.
In an interview with PoliticsJOE last week, Corbyn said that his local party was "concerned" by reports that he would not be able to stand as a Labour candidate, adding that he "should never have been suspended in the first place".
Jeremy Corbyn responds to suggestions Labour have begun fielding candidates to represent the Islington North seat.
— PoliticsJOE (@PoliticsJOE_UK) November 30, 2022
Corbyn currently sits as an Independent MP, since the whip (but not membership) was removed. pic.twitter.com/TLBxuYYwGR
Corbyn said: "My local party is obviously concerned. They want to have a selection process, and they're demanding that that take place, and that would mean that I would have to be reinstated into the parliamentary Labour party, from which I should never have been suspended in the first place. That's the demand we're making."
On reports of other candidates being approached, Corbyn added: "I haven't heard anything about that. I am very proud to represent Islington North, and I would have thought, for somebody who has been in the Labour Party since before England last won the World Cup, the men's team that is, a little bit more respect for that longevity of service wouldn't come amiss."
