Cllr Matt Nathan and Sir Keir Starmer

A COUNCILLOR has left the Labour Party and is now sitting as an independent in the Town Hall chamber.

Sources close to Clerkenwell councillor Matt Nathan said he was unhappy at the direction the party was taking nationally under Sir Keir Starmer.

Part of the left-wing group of the party, he is understood to be angry at the decision to stop Jeremy Corbyn from standing for Labour again in Islington North at the next general election.

Cllr Nathan was first elected in 2018 and has sat on licensing committees and the policy and performance scrutiny committee. He has not announced his plans for future elections.

Speaking to the Tribune, Mr Corbyn said: “Matt is a great councillor and a great friend. He’s a very dedicated socialist who has made that decision. I’m going to be working with socialists inside and outside the Labour Party to challenge the economic norms in this country.”

He added: “I’m the MP for this area and very proud to be the MP for this area – all I have to say is that I’m available for service.”

Labour councillor Phil Graham, a friend and colleague of Mr Nathan, said: “Matt is not doing this to get other people to follow him and resign too, but he is doing it in protest.”

He added: “We need to go back to our roots, and our socialist values, instead of trying to be a pale imitation of the Tory party.”

Cllr Graham said it is his position that he will still back Mr Corbyn no matter what, but added: “I have no plans to leave the party. I want to stay and try and change things from the inside.”