A left-wing Labour Party leader endorsed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez resigned following devastating results for his party in Britain’s general election.
Jeremy Corbyn, a self-identified democratic socialist, called the election results “very disappointing” and said on Thursday he would not lead the party into another general election.
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Corbyn said he will continue to represent Islington North as a Member of Parliament.
Ocasio-Cortez faced backlash on Thursday after appearing to endorse Corbyn, who has been accused of anti-semitism, on social media.
The progressive congresswoman shared a pro-Labour video posted by Corbyn to her 6 million followers on Twitter.
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“This video is about the UK, but it might as well have been produced about the United States,” Ocasio-Cortez said in a tweet accompanying the clip. “The hoarding of wealth by the few is coming at the cost of peoples’ lives. The only way we change is with a massive surge of *new* voters at the polls. UK, Vote!”
A “disastrous” election
Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party picked up more than 326 of 650 seats in the House of Commons, ensuring a majority government, the Associated Press reported.
In possibly its worst showing since 1935, Labour is expected to win approximately 200 seats.
News outlets the world over characterized the results as “disastrous” and “humiliating” for the left-wing Labour Party as members within Corbyn’s party called for him to step down.
Corbyn on Thursday insisted that Labour’s ideological stances would continue to resonate with the British people and blamed the media and the hot-button issue of Brexit for Labour’s poor showing.
“The issues of social justice and the issues of the needs of people will not go away,” he said.
Corbyn said the “fundamental Labour message about justice and equality within our society is going to be one that is there for all time.”
*see full story by Pluralist