Jeremy Corbyn, an independent candidate in the parliamentary elections, won his seat against a candidate from the Labour Party, which he formerly led.
It is a vindication for Mr Corbyn, who was running for the first time against the party he led from 2015 to 2020.
Mr Corbyn, who has held the seat since 1983, was suspended as Labour leader and eventually expelled from the party over his response to allegations of anti-Semitism during his time in office.
For many voters in his constituency, an area of London where wealth and deprivation coexist, the race was a choice between a long-standing affinity with the Labour Party and a politician who had represented the area for more than 40 years and was a well-known presence in the community. For others, Mr Corbyn’s handling of alleged anti-Semitism within the Labour Party’s far left while he was leader left a lasting mark on his reputation.
As polling day approached, a YouGov poll predicted the race would be tight, with Labour candidate Praful Nargund holding a narrow lead over Mr Corbyn.
Paul Anthony Ogunwemimo, who said he has lived in the area for 14 years, called Mr Corbyn a “very nice man”. But he voted for the Labour candidate on Thursday, he said, largely to support Keir Starmer, who replaced Mr Corbyn as party leader.
Hibbah Filli, who was born and raised in Mr Corbyn’s constituency, said many of her friends and family had voted for him in the past because “it was more of a Labour choice”. Voting for the first time on Thursday, she said she had backed Mr Corbyn.
“I feel like he’s very dedicated to the community,” she said. “I feel like he’s been doing a good job for a long time and I feel like we need a diversity of voices in Parliament.”
