In a political climate often dismissed as stale, the fledgling Your Party is staging a messy, combative, and fiercely passionate rebellion. Despite a launch marred by false starts and public squabbling, time spent with its activists reveals signs of a refreshing challenge to the mainstream. The party's tumultuous founding conference in Liverpool, which concluded on 30 November, may signal a beginning rather than an end.
A Conference of Conflict and Surprise
The atmosphere at the Liverpool conference was electric and fraught. From the outset, the event was acrimonious, marked by delegate barrings, ejections, and even a boycott by the MP for Coventry South, Zarah Sultana. To many observers, this chaos seemed to confirm the narrative of a party destined for a quick demise, squandering the opportunity presented by Labour's rightward shift. The onstage rows and open factional divisions between Jeremy Corbyn's camp and a more grassroots 'left' were stark.
Yet, this perspective may be premature. One young first-time attendee captured the unexpected dynamic, describing Corbyn and his allies not as the radical standard-bearers but as "the right" in the weekend's debates. His grin as he claimed victory for "us – the left!" hinted at a complex internal struggle that defies simple labels.
The Grassroots Strikes Back
Behind the headlines of disarray, a different story unfolded. Activists, often young and politically experienced but not sectarian, expressed fury at the top-down machinations they believed had plagued the party's formation. One lamented the "bitter trench warfare" led by politicians with "machiavellian, pushy advisers," which had left many keen supporters dejected.
However, by the conference's final day, the mood shifted. The grassroots faction secured significant victories, passing a programme that committed the party to being led by an elected committee of ordinary members, not a single leader. Crucially, members would be allowed to maintain membership in other parties. Zarah Sultana herself declared to journalists, "The members have taken control," before delivering a barnstorming speech inside the hall.
A Fierce Vision and an Unruly Democracy
Sultana's speech was a highlight, attacking "the parasites" of privatised utilities and warning that mainstream politicians would "lead us into fascism to protect their wealth and power." She vowed Your Party would belong to its members, not "nameless, faceless, unelected bureaucrats" – a clear swipe at Corbyn's circle. The speech inadvertently highlighted the tension between her powerful communication skills and the party's new collective ethos, a tension the party promises to review in its leadership model next year.
The debates themselves were a spectacle of vibrant, unruly democracy. Audiences were larger than most at this year's Tory conference and livelier than Labour's. Delegates from diverse backgrounds made combative speeches, ignored time limits, and were met with constant applause or heckling. This lack of deference felt both startling and refreshing, reminiscent of 1970s Labour conferences or a prototype for a more participatory future.
Can Your Party Survive in a Fragmented Landscape?
The path ahead remains steep. A recent YouGov poll showed 12% of Britons would consider voting for Your Party, a figure that, while down a third since July, remains significant given the turmoil. The political landscape is fragmented, with Labour, Reform, and the Tories all grappling with their own versions of divisive leadership and voter hostility.
While the Greens under Zack Polanski have attracted many left-wing voters, they lack Your Party's deep connections to working-class, trade union, and anti-racist politics. The Liberal Democrats' ambiguous politics are unlikely to lure committed socialists. To maximise its chances, Your Party is reportedly moving towards a pact with the Greens to avoid standing in each other's target seats, eyeing the possibility of winning a few of its current four seats in a potential hung parliament.
This may not be the wild optimism that sparked talks of a new party a year ago, but it represents a gritty realism. In discontented times, rebellions should not be written off. Your Party's messy, combative, and intoxicatingly fierce existence might just be the beginning of a longer, more complicated story in British politics.
