TIMINGS
Doors: 16:00
Starts: 16:20
Seated (unreserved)
Tickets: £20
Plus £2 venue levy
Age: 14+, under 16s must be accompanied by an adult
Presented by Brighton & Hove Speakers Festival
Click here to view all Brighton & Hove Speakers Festival events
A candid conversation with one of British politics' most consequential and closely watched figures — and the man who defied the odds to win as an independent in 2024.
What is it like to spend four decades as a backbench MP, then suddenly find yourself leading a major political party? What did Jeremy Corbyn learn from the extraordinary swings of fortune in his career — from years as a rebel on the margins, to a leadership campaign few predicted, to a general election that defied expectations, to losing the whip and winning re-election as an independent? In this wide-ranging and personal talk, Corbyn reflects on the arc of his political life: the values that have remained constant, the moments that tested them, and what he's learned about the realities of power, party loyalty, and public service along the way.
Rather than a policy platform, this is a personal reckoning — Corbyn talking frankly about his own journey through some of the most turbulent chapters in recent British political history, what surprised him, what he'd do differently, and what has kept him going through decades in public life. Drawing on his experience as a backbench rebel, a party leader who came within reach of Downing Street, and now as an independent MP with a renewed mandate, Corbyn offers a frank and personal account of a life spent in politics — without script or spin. Whether you are a long-standing supporter, a sceptic, or simply curious about one of the most debated figures in modern British politics, this is an unmissable opportunity to hear Corbyn reflect on the values and experiences that have shaped his remarkable political career.
Jeremy Corbyn served as Leader of the Labour Party from 2015 to 2020, having represented Islington North as a Labour MP since 1983 — one of the longest-serving members of his generation. A consistent voice on the left throughout the Blair and Brown years, he was elected Labour leader in a landslide membership vote that transformed the party and redefined the terms of British political debate. His 2017 general election campaign, widely written off as unwinnable, produced a remarkable swing and denied Theresa May her majority. Following the 2019 defeat he stood down as leader, and was subsequently suspended from — and ultimately had the whip removed by — the Labour Party. In 2024 he stood as an independent in Islington North and won, defeating the Labour candidate in one of the most closely watched contests of that election. He remains one of the most recognisable and in-demand political speakers in the country. A Q&A session will follow.