A public dispute between Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana over a membership portal has sparked concern among supporters of their nascent leftwing party. The former Labour leader said the portal had been set up without his approval, leading to an open split that some fear could damage the movement before it has properly begun.
The row, which unfolded in public, has prompted six individuals sympathetic to the party's ideals to share their reactions. Dave Ricketts, a 56-year-old logistics manager from Warrington, said he was unsurprised, adding: 'It was them or the Greens... Corbyn and Sultana are people who are not afraid to speak up. It’s great of course but in this case it won’t help us.'
Gina, a 68-year-old from Devon, expressed dismay at the infighting, calling it 'disheartening that egos and arrogance come before rising to the challenge of creating a potentially huge, all-changing movement'. She questioned why Sultana publicised the disagreement, saying it seemed 'unprofessional'. Richard, 26, from Cambridge, described the feud as 'symptomatic of factionalism and poor organisation'. He added: 'If this party can’t run a membership portal, how on earth are they meant to convince an electorate that they can manage major political and economic challenges?'
Cathy, an artist and retired psychotherapist from East Sussex, said she had signed up for the party's emails but became suspicious when the site was inaccessible. After receiving a second email about legal advice, she felt annoyed and asked to be removed from the mailing list. 'The left just seems to be really good at self-sabotage,' she said. Another former Labour voter, who moved to Scotland, said the split was 'disappointing' and hurt the party’s claim to be a people’s party, though it did not put them off voting for Corbyn's stance on Palestine.
