Corbyn and Sultana: the needs of the left are greater than any of your differences | Owen Jones

"When the independent MP and former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and the former Labour MP Zarah Sultana announced the birth of a new leftwing party, the surge of interest shocked even its founders. More than 750,000 people signed up in support of an unchristened, nonexistent party. Polling suggested nearly a third of Britons would vote for an alliance with the Greens; among under-35s, support rose to 52%."

"That media outlets spent more time mocking its placeholder name, Your Party, than seeking to understand this phenomenon tells its own story. In today's Britain, legitimate concerns means kicking out migrants, not taxing elites to rebuild crumbling services. Alas, a deeply unattractive public row in recent days appeared to detonate the whole project. Sultana seeks the co-leadership of a new party, and her camp felt she was being frozen out by Corbyn's advisers."

"Corbyn's team believe that he remains the politician most able to galvanise the grassroots. The independents feel that, having crushed the Labour machine when Keir Starmer was securing a landslide, they represent a mass base that must be respected and given a major role. Fearing being sidelined, Sultana unilaterally launched the membership scheme under her allies' control. Threats of legal action on both sides followed, as well as accusations of sexism by Sultana."

A new leftwing party led by Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana attracted over 750,000 sign-ups and polling showed nearly a third of Britons, and 52% of under-35s, would back an alliance with the Greens. Mainstream media mocked the placeholder name, Your Party, more than probing causes of support. A leadership dispute emerged as Sultana sought co-leadership and felt frozen out, prompting her to launch a membership scheme under allies' control. Corbyn's team emphasised his grassroots appeal while independents demanded major roles. Legal threats, accusations of sexism and social media despair followed. Sultana halted legal action.

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