British politician Jeremy Corbyn on Wednesday said the Indian election results had given hope of a freer society and chance to end poverty and inequality. “Well done on this election result,” Corbyn said at Islington Town London after filing his nomination papers as an Independent MP for the July 4 general elections in the United Kingdom. Corbyn led the Opposition Labour Party until his expulsion in May.

“You’ve given hope to people, hope to people of a freer society, hope to people against repressive legislation,” said Corbyn. “But above all, hope to people to end the greatest levels of poverty and inequality in India.” He said he looked forward to being in India soon.

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Corbyn also spoke of his association and of working with unions, those in focus on the Global South and in other groups to bring about social justice and change. He said his enduring memory of visiting Mumbai in 2023 was attending a huge rally of railway workers defending their pension system “which was under attack from the market economy and privatisation”.

“Well done guys, you've got an awful lot to celebrate and it’s a big step forward to social justice,” he said.

The Labour Party is widely expected to win the UK general elections in July, unseating the Conservative Party and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Corbyn was suspended from the Labour Party in 2020 following a row about antisemitism and was expelled in May. He is now standing as an independent Islington North where he has been a Labour MP since 1983.

Also read: Elections 2024: How the outcome of the UK and India polls will shape bilateral ties