DHAKA: The UK’s opposition Labour Party has elected veteran left-wing MP Jeremy Corbyn to be its new leader, in one of the most controversial leadership votes in recent British political history.

The announcement of Corbyn’s success brings to a close a bitterly fought contest, which could herald the start of renewed divisions within the party between those in support of his anti-austerity platform, and those advocating a further shift away from the left.

Corbyn won the vote in the first round, picking up 251,417 or 59.5 percent of votes cast, reports Al Jazeera.

In a speech delivered after the announcement of his victory, Corbyn said his first act as leader of the party would be to attend a protest demanding better treatment of refugees.

‘They are the generational victims of war, who end up in desperation, end up in terrible places, end up trying to get to a place of safety... They are human beings just like you, just like me,’ Corbyn said.

‘Let’s deal with the refugee crisis with humanity, with support, with help, with compassion... We cannot go on like this with grotesque levels of global inequality.’

BDST: 2115 HRS, SEPT 13, 2015
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