The inaugural conference of the new left-wing movement, Your Party, has been thrown into disarray as MP Zarah Sultana publicly condemned what she called a 'toxic culture' and announced a boycott of the main event.
This dramatic development came just hours after the party's figurehead, Jeremy Corbyn, opened the weekend gathering in Liverpool with a direct appeal for unity, acknowledging there had been 'mistakes' during the party's foundation.
Boycott and Accusations of a 'Witch Hunt'
Ms Sultana, the MP for Coventry South, revealed on Saturday that she would not enter the conference centre in protest at what she labelled a 'witch hunt'. This action was prompted by the news that one of her supporters, Kingston councillor James Giles, had been denied entry to the event.
She expressed her disappointment that individuals had been expelled from the party over alleged membership of the Socialist Workers Party. 'I'm disappointed to see on the morning of our founding conference, people who have travelled from all over the country... being told that they have been expelled,' she told the Press Association.
She drew a direct parallel with her experiences in the Labour Party, criticising a culture where 'members were treated with contempt.' Your Party officials strongly denied any suggestion of a 'purge', stating that those removed had broken 'clearly stated membership rules' by belonging to another national political party.
A Clash of Visions and Internal Conflict
The public rift between Ms Sultana and the party's leadership has cast a long shadow over the conference, which has also been marred by a botched membership launch and threats of legal action. The internal strife has already had consequences, with two other Independent MPs, Adnan Hussain and Iqbal Mohamed, withdrawing from the party's founding process, citing infighting as a factor.
Ms Sultana did not hold back in her criticism of the party's internal dynamics, calling for an end to a 'toxic culture of leaks to the right-wing press, of legal threats, of bullying, intimidation and acts of sabotage.' She vowed not to be 'pushed out' and insisted the party must have 'democracy at the very heart of it.'
Further friction emerged over the conference's democratic processes. Ms Sultana complained it was 'undemocratic' that her preferred name for the party, 'Left Party', was not among the options for members to vote on. She also voiced her support for a co-leadership model, an option she claimed a 'nameless, faceless bureaucrat' had prevented members from voting on.
Corbyn's Plea for Unity Amid the Chaos
Earlier, in a stark contrast to the unfolding drama, Jeremy Corbyn had opened the conference by emphasising the 'unique opportunity' to build a 'socialist party of mass appeal'. He suggested that the fledgling party could even write a handbook for others, so they could 'learn from our problems, learn from our mistakes'.
Striking a conciliatory note, Mr Corbyn revealed that despite hosting separate events on Friday night, he and Ms Sultana had exchanged supportive messages to be read out at each other's meetings. 'As a party, we've got to come together and be united, because division and disunity will not serve the interests of the people that we want to represent,' he urged the assembled members.
The conference, attended by 2,500 selected members from a total claimed membership of 50,000, will see crucial votes on the party's future name, leadership model, and whether to back socialist independent candidates in the May 2026 local elections.
