Praful Nargund

LABOUR Party members are unhappy at the prospect of a new candidate being “parachuted” into Islington North as the next general election looms.

Barnsbury ward councillor Praful Nargund has been named by several insider sources as the most likely Labour candidate to contest the seat. Last year, constituency Labour Party (CLP) members almost unanimously passed a motion calling for them to have the final say on candidate selection for the next general election.

“It’s not just the CLP, it’s the whole of Islington who aren’t happy about it. People I’ve spoken to are very, very upset about what’s happened in Islington North. Residents and people have come to me who have left the party over what’s happened to Jeremy [Corbyn], and they’ve expressed how angry they are about what’s happened,” said Bunhill council­lor Phil Graham.

He added: “To parachute Praful in, or anyone else, to be honest with you it’s a poisoned chalice. Anyone who stands against Jeremy is ending their political career, because you’re not going to get anywhere.”

Jeremy Corbyn

Mr Corbyn has been the MP for Islington North since 1983 but is currently listed as independent despite remaining a member of the Labour Party.

In 2020, the Equality and Human Rights Commission found Labour had breached equalities law in relation to anti-Semitism during Mr Corbyn’s leadership.

Mr Corbyn responded by saying: “One anti-Semite is one too many, but the scale of the problem was also dramatically overstated for political reasons by our opponents inside and outside the ­party, as well as by much of the media.”

He refused to withdraw these remarks, with Keir Starmer’s supporters insis­ting that he did not understand the hurt that some Jewish members had felt.

Mr Graham says he is confident that if Mr Corbyn were to announce his candidacy as an independent he would win at the next election.

Mr Corbyn has consistently hinted that he will stand as an independent candidate at the next election, most recently telling the Tribune: “When I was first elected as the MP for Islington North in 1983, I made a promise to stand alongside my constituents no matter what was thrown our way.

“In Islington North we keep our promises, and we will not be silenced in our efforts to build a more equal and peaceful world.

“Ultimately, there is only one reason why the Labour leadership are so afraid of local democracy: they know that when we come together, we can win.”

It is not clear when the Labour Party will make its decision.

Cllr Nargund did not respond to requests for comment from the Tribune about his potential selection.