A friend of Jeremy Corbyn asked a printing company if they could produce tens of thousands of leaflets, posters and lawn signs for an “independent candidates in the election”.

The leaked email, revealed by The Sunday Times, adds to speculation that the former Labour leader is preparing to stand against his old party at the next general election.

Corbyn, who has represented Islington North since 1983, has not held the Labour whip since he claimed the problem of antisemitism within the party had been overstated under his leadership.

Sir Keir Starmer has since banned him from standing for Labour at the next election.

Last Monday, a friend of the veteran MP who is also a constituency activist, asked a printing firm if they could produce 40,000 leaflets, 2,000 posters, 5,000 round candidate stickers and 500 lawn signs.

They also asked if the company could create literature for “independent candidates in the election”.

In a statement to the Sunday Times, Corbyn said: “Jeremy is immensely proud to be the MP for Islington North and has spent the past 40 years fighting alongside his community for a better world.

"He is focused on that work, campaigning on the issues facing his constituents and doing his utmost to help those in need. That is what he will continue to do.”

At the 2019 election, Corbyn received 34,603 in Islington North, while the Liberal Democrats won 8,415, and the Conservative Party 5,483.