Jeremy Corbyn
Jeremy Bernard Corbyn (born 26th May 1949) has been the Leader of the Opposition and leader of the Labour Party in the United Kingdom since 12th September 2015. He was elected in a landslide victory following 32 years in Parliament as a backbench MP for Islington North.
Corbyn's leadership victory was not initially expected, and indeed he was at first seen as a rank outsider, one who barely received enough nominations from other MPs to stand for the leadership.[1] However, his predecessor Ed Miliband had introduced reforms to broaden participation in the contest, and in any case he received the most votes of any candidate from full members, by a clear margin.[2]
Corbyn's left-learning politics and activism contrasted sharply with the more centre-left position of many senior Labour figures; nevertheless, he was able to establish a team of Shadow Cabinet members, including his long-term ally John McDonnell as Shadow Chancellor.[3]
Family life
Jeremy Corbyn was born into a middle-class family in 1949 in Wiltshire, and was later brought up in Shropshire as the youngest of four brothers. He has three sons from a previous marriage; Laura Alvarez is his third wife.[4]
Footnotes
- ↑ BBC News: 'Jeremy Corbyn unveils 'unifying' shadow cabinet team'. 14th September 2015.
- ↑ Labour Party: 'Results of the Labour leadership elections'. 12th September 2015.
- ↑ BBC News: 'Jeremy Corbyn wins Labour leadership contest and vows "fightback"'. 12th September 2015.
- ↑ BBC News: 'The Jeremy Corbyn Story: Profile of Labour's new leader'. 12th September 2015.