Veteran leftist MP Corbyn voted leader of UK opposition

Jeremy Corbyn, critic of austerity and military intervention, elected to lead Labour Party with 59.5 per cent of ballot.
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 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 per cent of votes cast.
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.
The MP for the London constituency of Islington North, thanked a number of trade unions for their backing during his leadership campaign.
Labour's new leader also slammed coverage of his campaign by the British press, many sections of which have cast him as economically dangerous.
Andy Burnham, Corbyn's nearest competitor, received 19 per cent of the ballots cast.
MP Tom Watson was elected Corbyn's deputy, according to Al Jazeera.

-- Saikat--