The birth of a new political movement, intended to unite the fragmented British left, has instead provided a masterclass in the factional infighting for which the far-left is notorious. The inaugural conference of Your Party, formed by MPs including former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana, descended into acrimony in Liverpool, with expulsions, a high-profile boycott, and bitter internal disputes overshadowing its launch.
A Conference Overshadowed by Division
Long before hundreds of delegates gathered on Saturday, the fledgling party was riven by disagreements over finances, political strategy, and membership rules. These tensions erupted publicly, leading to a number of expulsions and a boycott by co-founder Zarah Sultana, who protested what she termed a 'witch hunt'. The scene mirrored the satirical brilliance of Monty Python's Life of Brian, where the People's Front of Judea spends more energy attacking the Judean People's Front than fighting the Romans.
From the platform, delegates clashed over fundamental structures: whether the party should have a single leader or be led by a committee of non-MPs. Further heated debates erupted over dual membership with other parties and the contentious issue of trans rights. The proceedings turned farcical, with microphones being repeatedly cut and the internet livestream paused.
Leadership Rejected and Controversial Alliances Embraced
In a telling move, delegates voted for Your Party to be headed by a collective leadership, effectively rejecting both Corbyn and Sultana as sole figureheads. While Corbyn addressed over 2,000 delegates inside the hall, Sultana spoke to supporters outside, a physical manifestation of the rift. Ironically, Corbyn told the conference that division would not serve the people they aimed to represent.
One of the most controversial decisions saw delegates vote overwhelmingly (70-30) to allow members of the hard-left Socialist Workers Party (SWP) to hold dual membership. The SWP has a deeply troubling record, including a notorious 2013 scandal where party officials covered up a rape allegation against a senior figure rather than involving police.
Scottish Politics Braces for Impact
The ramifications of this new, fractious political force are set to extend north of the border. A conference to launch Your Party in Scotland is scheduled for Dundee in January, with an eye on the Scottish Parliament elections next May. Political analysts suggest that in the current volatile climate, with voter backlash against Sir Keir Starmer's government and the rise of identity-based politics exemplified by the Greens, the party could potentially secure regional list seats with as little as 6% of the vote.
One Labour MSP warned against complacency, drawing parallels with Corbyn's unexpected ascent to the Labour leadership in 2015. "It's not enough to just think 'Oh, these people are idiots' and hope they go away. We'll have to have some kind of reply to them," they stated.
Despite its rhetoric of 'a new kind of politics' and prioritising workers, Your Party's launch revealed a movement united more by a pathological hatred of Israel and a commitment to controversial policies like the medical transition of children than by a coherent, unifying platform. As it prepares to bring its divisive brand of politics to Scotland, the nation's already fractious political landscape is set for a potentially turbulent new arrival.
