The Northern Ireland Labour Party have congratulated Jeremy Corbyn on winning the leadership contest for the Labour Party.

Mr Corbyn was re-elected on Saturday with 61.8% of the vote, his 313,209 votes compared with 193,229 for Owen Smith.

And Phillip Kelly, an Executive Committee member of the NI Labour Party, said it could only be good news that Mr Corbyn had been re-elected.

He also said that Mr Corbyn’s progress could see Labour’s NEC re-examine its stance on Labour Party members standing in NI.

“I think it can only be a positive thing,” said Mr Kelly.

“Currently the NEC, the ruling body of the Labour Party, are reviewing our right to stand and we hope that will find in favour.

“It is a party locally that has been re-energised by the Corby message, lots of energy and new members and I think there’s a real case to bring that politics here and start fighting some of the regressive policies we see at Stormont.”

Meanwhile, deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness also offered his congratulations to Mr Corbyn on the news of his “emphatic” win.

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood also offered his best wishes to the leader of his own party’s sister party and said that they had a body of work ahead of them.

“I want to congratulate Jeremy Corbyn on his re-election as Leader of the British Labour Party. Britain needs a strong Labour Party to confront and challenge the Tory establishment,” he said.

“This is a turbulent time in the politics of these islands as the Brexiteers seize control of the mechanics of government in Westminster.

“I look forward to working with the Labour Leader as we continue to fight Brexit and promote the democratically stated will of people in Ireland.

“Later this week the Irish Labour Party, British Labour Party and SDLP will hold a joint event in Liverpool. Key among discussions there will be the effect of Brexit on Britain’s relationship with Ireland and the need to respect the will of the 56% of people in Northern Ireland who voted to remain.”