In a powerful and impassioned address that sent shockwaves through the Labour Party Conference, firebrand MP Zarah Sultana launched a stunning broadside against Sir Keir Starmer's leadership, demanding he "give us our party back".
The Coventry South MP accused the current leadership of systematically sidelining and purging left-wing members, fundamentally altering the character of the party and disenfranchising its grassroots base.
A Direct Challenge to Starmer's Authority
Sultana’s speech stood in stark contrast to the stage-managed unity projected by the leadership. She didn't merely criticise but issued a direct challenge, framing the internal conflict as a battle for the party's soul.
Her core accusation was clear: that under Starmer, the party has become a top-down institution, shutting out the very members who propelled it to its highest membership levels in history.
The Ghost of Corbyn Haunts the Conference
While Jeremy Corbyn was not the central focus, his presence loomed large over Sultana's words. She positioned herself as a defender of the movement he inspired, arguing that the leadership's current path is a betrayal of the principles that energised hundreds of thousands of new supporters.
"They took our party from us," she declared, capturing the simmering resentment felt by many on the party's left flank who feel alienated and ostracised since Starmer took the helm.
More Than Just Internal Squabbling
Sultana framed the internal struggle as having real-world consequences for the British public. She argued that by moving away from its radical, member-led manifesto promises, the Labour leadership is abandoning the communities that need its support the most.
This public airing of deep-seated grievances signals that despite Starmer's attempts to present a united front, the civil war within Labour is far from over and is likely to continue shaping its direction and policies.
