Veteran far-left lawmaker Jeremy Corbyn won the leadership election of the UK Labour Party on Saturday after obtaining over 59 percent of votes in the first round.
Corbyn makes his victory speech. So so so proud of the party. A democratic revolution has happened. #JezWeDidIt pic.twitter.com/NSpxBfUOC6
— George Aylett (@GeorgeAylett) 12 сентября 2015
The Labour Party elected Tom Watson as the deputy leader.
Jeremy Corbyn wins huge: 60% of Labour vote in populist landslide. Could Bernie Sanders be next? (No.) pic.twitter.com/vTWVwWUjDY
— ian bremmer (@ianbremmer) 12 сентября 2015
Corbyn has been representing Islington North electoral division in London since 1983.
Whatever you think, one thing is for sure — nobody will think Corbyn doesn't say what he believes. And that will change politics in Britain.
— Nick Pickles (@nickpickles) 12 сентября 2015
Sixty-six-year-old Corbyn has been widely referred to as one of the most "rebellious" Labour members of parliament. In 1984, Corbyn was arrested outside the South African embassy for violating a protest ban during apartheid times. He had voted against Britain's participation in the Iraq war, criticized ex-Labour leader Miliband for too much austerity, and had repeatedly spoke out against renewing the British Trident nuclear deterrent infrastructure.
Corbyn is the founding chairman of the Stop the War Coalition and member of the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign, Amnesty International, and the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.
The leadership race was triggered by Labour leader Ed Miliband's resignation, after his party garnered only 232 seats in the 650-seat House of Commons, the lower house of British parliament, at the May 7 general election. The Conservatives won 331 seats, securing a majority government.
