A recent members’ vote has determined that the new left-wing movement, “Your Party,” will not be led by Jeremy Corbyn or Zarah Sultana.
Instead, the party’s founding conference has decided that the leadership will be in the hands of “ordinary members” rather than Members of Parliament, following internal disputes and legal threats within the party.
The members voted in favor of a “collective” leadership approach with 51.6% supporting this model over the traditional single leadership model chosen by 48.4%. This decision avoids a potential clash between Zarah Sultana, who resigned from the Labour Party earlier this year, and former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. Party officials have stated that the rules will undergo a review in late 2027.
Zarah Sultana, who abstained from the conference’s first day due to disagreements over expulsions, expressed enthusiasm about the outcome, calling it “exciting.”
She remarked, “I have advocated for maximum member democracy from the outset. Witnessing members opt for collective leadership is truly thrilling. Together, we are constructing a new socialist party that is profoundly democratic and driven by a mass movement. This party will be guided by its members, not by MPs. This is just the start.”
It is anticipated that Zarah Sultana will end her conference boycott today after her initial refusal to attend in protest against the party’s expulsions and perceived “witch hunt” against certain members.
A spokesperson for Your Party commented, “This vote demonstrates our commitment to doing politics differently: empowering from the bottom-up, not dictating from the top-down. In Westminster, there is a professional political class increasingly disconnected from everyday citizens, prioritizing corporations and billionaires over the communities they are meant to serve.”
“With a genuinely member-driven party, we aim to provide a distinct offering: democratic, grassroots-oriented, and accountable,” the spokesperson added.
At the ongoing debut conference, members are also participating in a vote to select an official name for the party, with options including the current placeholder name “Your Party,” as well as other choices like “Our Party,” “Popular Alliance,” and “For the Many.” The results of this vote are expected to be disclosed later today.