Celebrations as Jeremy Corbyn elected Labour leader with landslide win

September 12, 2015
Issue 
Video: UK: Champagne and celebrations as Jeremy Corbyn named Labour leader. Ruptly.

Supporters of the Labour party's new leader Jeremy Corbyn celebrated across Britain on September 12, as the socialist and outspoken activist vowed to put the country on a new course. In Hyde Park, London, thousands of Corbyn supporters clinked champagne glasses and cheered after the dark horse candidate was declared new Labour leader.

The 66-year-old veteran left-wing MP was elected Labour Party leader by a huge margin, taking the position once held by Tony Blair -- a man Corbyn has suggested should be tried for war crimes.

With 59.5%t of the votes, Corbyn lead with a 40 percent advantage over Andy Burnham, who came second with 19%. This meant Corbyn won in the first round of voting.

In a speech filled with gratitude, the new Labour leader vowed to welcome refugees, spoke against war and criticised the austerity policies of the Conservative government led by Prime Minister David Cameron.

“We cannot go on like this, with grotesque levels of inequality (...) we need an economic strategy that improves peoples lives...that reaches out to care for everybody,” Corbyn said

Corbyn attributed his victory to growing public dissatisfaction with politics as usual, and has pledged to create a “more equal Britain.”

“They are fed up with the inequality, the injustice, the unnecessary poverty. All those issues have brought people in in a spirit of hope and optimism,” he said, reminding his party that poverty is not inevitable and promising change.

Corbyn also stated his first move as Labour leader would be to attend a refugee solidarity rally. “My first act as leader of the party will be to go to the demonstration this afternoon to show support for the way refugees should be treated and must be treated in this country.”

Below is the footage of Corbyn's speech to a huge refugee demonstration later that day in London, in which he hails pro-refugee demonstrations across Europe as "a popular uprising in favour of decency and humanity" he said.

[Compiled from TeleSUR English.]

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