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Jeremy Corbyn and Emily Thornberry hold Islington with sensational majorities
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn arrives at the Sobell Leisure Centre in Islington, north London, where counting is taking place for the General Election. - Credit: PA Wire/PA Images
Islington MPs Jeremy Corbyn and Emily Thornberry have retained their seats with massive majorities.
Emily Thornberry speaks at Sobell Leisure Centre after holding her Islington South and Finsbury seat. Picture: Dominic Lipinski/PA - Credit: PA Wire/PA Images
Labour leader Mr Corbyn, who could be Prime Minister later today, won the most votes – 40,086 – for an Islington North candidate in history. He has a majority of 33,215, an increase of about 11,000 since 2015.
And Mrs Thornberry, who has been a leading figure in Labour’s election campaign, won a majority of 20,263 with 30,188 votes. She has increased her majority by about 7,000.
In his speech, Mr Corbyn said: “It’s an enormous honour to be elected for a ninth time in Parliament. I am very very honoured and humbled by the size of the vote cast for me tonight. I pledge to represent the people of Islington North in the best way I possibly can, and to continue to learn from them at the same time.”
He went on: “I have travelled the whole country and you know what? Politics has changed. Politics isn’t going back to the box it was in before. People have had quite enough of austerity politics. They have had quite enough of cuts in public expenditure, under-funding our health service, under-funding our schools. I am very, very proud of the campaign we have run.”
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He then called on the Prime Minister to quit. “Theresa May called this election for a mandate. But she has lost support and confidence. I would say that’s enough to go.
Mrs Thornberry said: “The star of the show was our manifesto. People saw things that would transform their lives and communities, a postive vision of how Britain could become a better place. And they knew we meant it.
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“It’s because of the other star of the show. He’s too modest to sing his own praises. I can’t remember another politician in recent history who has had to put up with so much pressure, attacking his character. He has stood strong through it all. He has accepted all the challenges of hos job with good grace.
“If anyone is strong and stable, it’s got to be Jeremy Corbyn.”
