RMT leader Mick Lynch gives Jeremy Corbyn general election backing

The RMT Union has announced it will be supporting former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn at the next general election.

Mr Corbyn is the independent MP for Islington North - a seat he has held since 1983.

Last year, the 74-year-old was banned from standing for Labour, this followed his suspension from the parliamentary party over an antisemitism row in 2020.

RMT leader Mick Lynch said the union would back Mr Corbyn should he run for his seat again as an independent.

"We will support all sorts of people in this election, because we're not affiliated," Mr Lynch told the War on Want conference.

He added: "We will support Labour candidates. We will support socialist candidates.

"We will be supporting Jeremy Corbyn in the next election."

The RMT became estranged from Labour in 2004 under Tony Blair's leadership, meaning - unlike many other trade unions - it is free to support other candidates.

It is expected the former Labour leader will stand as an independent at the next election, although this is yet to be confirmed.

Jeremy Corbyn was suspended from Labour's parliamentary party in 2020

Mr Corbyn was suspended from by the Labour party over his reaction to a highly critical report on anti-Semitism.

He had previously been elected the party's leader in 2015 but resigned in 2019 following defeat in the general election.

• General election: When is the next one and who decides?

In January, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he had expected to call the election "in the second half" of 2024 - although a date is yet to be set.

The latest Parliament can be dissolved for a general election is on the fifth anniversary of the day it first met.

For the current Parliament, that date is 17 December 2024.

However, 25 working days are then allowed to prepare for the election, meaning the next election must be held by 28 January 2025.