Extreme Left Jeremy Corbyn wins Labour poll in UK

September 12, 2015 18:15

Extreme left-wing MP Jeremy Corbyn was today elected leader of Britain's main Opposition Labour Party in a landslide victory here, a development that threatens to further divide the party.

The 66-year-old socialist, who began the contest as a rank outsider, was widely projected to win and saw off a challenge from frontbenchers Andy Burnham, Yvette Cooper and Liz Kendall. He gained 2,51,417 or 59.5 per cent of first preference votes - 40 per cent more than his nearest rival Burnham, who got 19 per cent.

Cooper was third on 17 per cent and Kendall a distant fourth with 4.5 per cent of the votes. Corbyn's victory marks a sea change in British politics with the far Left gaining control of a party that had defined itself as "New Labour" for years, having moved more towards the political centre ground, marking a departure from strong links with the country's trade unions.

The result has also sparked talk of a deep split within the Labour party that was thrown into turmoil by David Cameron's shock May election win.

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