Thousands join UK Labour after Corbyn victory

Britain’s Labour Party says over 15,000 people have joined the opposition party following the victory of anti-establishment politician Jeremy Corbyn in its leadership contest.

The Labour says Corbyn’s landslide victory in the party’s leadership election on September 12 has sparked a rush of new members joining the party.

The opposition’s general secretary Iain McNicol has said more than 15,000 people joined the party just in the past 24 hours. He added that over 100,000 people also joined the party as a registered supporter in the weeks before the election, giving them the right to vote.

Meanwhile, the UK’s Trades Union has hailed the election of Corbyn, but warned that the Labour had to regain the trust of workers.

Corbyn stormed to victory in election on Saturday, beating his rivals to take some 60 percent of the party votes. During the campaign, he often drew a huge number of supporters with his anti-austerity message.

Now John Rees, with the Stop the War Coalition, of which Corbyn has been a member, says the rush to Labour shows people’s enthusiasm in the Labour chief's popular policies.

Corbyn’s policies include spending more on public services like schools and hospitals, scrapping nuclear weapons, renationalizing industries like the railways, according to reports.

During his three decades in parliament, Corbyn has spent much of his time championing causes such as the Stop the War Coalition, campaigning against the private finance initiative and supporting peace efforts in the Middle East.

He is a member of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, regularly campaigning against Israel’s wars on Gaza and ‘the Israeli Apartheid.’

Corbyn has in the past called for the participation of Hamas and Hezbollah for a settlement of the Middle East conflict and highlighted the role of Iran in the regional issues.

He has also called for the lifting of anti-Iran sanctions and the starting of a political process to decommission Israel's nuclear weapons.

He also cooperated with Press TV for a while and hosted the ‘Comment’ – a Press TV show on international issues.