Former Labour leader Corbyn forms parliamentary alliance with 4 independent pro-Gaza MPs

By Aysu Bicer

LONDON (AA) - Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn on Monday announced the formation of an official parliamentary alliance with four independent MPs, all of whom were elected on pro-Gaza platforms.

The newly formed group, which will not operate as a formal political party, seeks to amplify its influence in the parliament by working collectively on key issues such as austerity, social welfare, and arms sales to Israel.

The alliance includes MPs Shockat Adam, Ayoub Khan, Adnan Hussain, and Iqbal Mohamed, alongside Corbyn, who was re-elected as an independent MP for Islington North after being barred from standing as a Labour candidate in the last general election.

With five members, the group now equals the parliamentary presence of both Reform UK and the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and surpasses the Green Party and Plaid Cymru, each of which has four MPs.

In a joint statement, the MPs emphasized their commitment to providing hope in what they described as "a parliament of despair."

They sharply criticized the current government for recent policy decisions, including the scrapping of the winter fuel allowance for around 10 million pensioners, the retention of the two-child benefits cap, and ongoing arms sales to Israel.

"We were elected by our constituents to provide hope in a parliament of despair," the MPs declared. "Millions of people are crying out for a real alternative to austerity, inequality, and war – and their voices deserve to be heard."

The group aims to use its collective strength to secure more parliamentary time for asking questions and participating in debates, effectively operating like a political party without a designated leader.

They have also extended an open invitation to other MPs who share their vision of a more equal and peaceful world to join their ranks.