Discussions ongoing about new party, says Jeremy Corbyn

Jeremy Corbyn has said “discussions are ongoing” after ex-Labour MP Zarah Sultana announced she was quitting the party to co-lead the founding of a new party with him.

The ex-Labour leader congratulated Sultana on her “principled decision” to leave and said he was “delighted that she will help us build a real alternative”.

He said “the democratic foundations of a new kind of political party will soon take shape” but stopped short of providing details as to who would lead the movement.

Making her announcement on Thursday evening, Sultana said Westminster was broken adding: “We are not going to take this anymore.”