It’s not every day that a brand-new political party manages to make headlines before it even has an official name. Yet, that’s exactly what’s happened in the UK, as tensions have erupted between two of the British left’s most prominent figures—Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana—over the future direction of a fledgling movement. The party, currently referred to as "Your Party" in campaign materials, has been rocked by a very public row that’s left supporters, critics, and even rival parties watching with keen interest.
The dispute burst into the open on September 18, 2025, when Zarah Sultana, the MP for Coventry South, accused former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn of presiding over a "sexist boys' club" within the new party’s working group. According to reporting from BBC, Sultana claimed she had been sidelined by other members, a serious charge that immediately drew national attention. The timing couldn’t have been worse: just as the party was attempting to build momentum ahead of its founding conference, scheduled for November.
The immediate flashpoint was an email sent to supporters, inviting them to sign up for full membership at £5 a month or £55 a year. Sultana, eager to galvanize grassroots support, posted on her social media that more than 20,000 people had already signed up as paid members by mid-September. The move, however, was met with an abrupt rebuke from Corbyn himself. In a statement issued the same day, Corbyn declared the membership emails "unauthorised" and told would-be supporters to ignore them entirely, even advising that any direct debits set up should be "immediately cancelled." The statement was co-signed by four other independent MPs involved in the party’s formation—Ayoub Khan, Adnan Hussain, Iqbal Mohamed, and Shockat Adam—but notably, Sultana’s name was missing from the list.
Sultana, for her part, defended her actions in a statement, asserting that she had launched a legitimate and secure membership portal to allow supporters to "continue to engage and organise." She insisted the portal was "in line with the road map set out to members" and clarified that all membership funds were being held by a company set up by the party to safeguard money until the founding conference in November. Sultana’s statement, reported by BBC, also highlighted her commitment to transparency and security in party finances.
But the damage was done. The party referred the membership dispute to the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), which, as of mid-September, confirmed it was assessing the information provided. The involvement of the ICO underscores just how serious—and messy—the disagreement has become, even before the party has officially launched.
Corbyn’s allies have expressed their "disappointment" at the deep divisions that have emerged so publicly. According to BBC, some of those closely involved believe further attempts at reconciliation should be made, but they’re not holding their breath. There’s still a sense among Corbyn loyalists that the appetite for a new left-wing party remains strong, yet the infighting could undermine the entire venture before it really gets going.
Andrew Fisher, who served as Corbyn’s policy director during his Labour leadership, didn’t mince words when speaking to BBC Radio 4’s World at One programme. He described the row as "a very unedifying spectacle played out in public between the two most prominent people associated with [the party] by a mile." Fisher went on to warn, "If they can't get their act together between them, it doesn't give people a lot of faith that the vehicle can get off the ground." His concerns reflect a broader anxiety among the left that the new party’s internal squabbles could push potential supporters elsewhere—most notably, to the Green Party.
Indeed, Zach Polanski, who was elected as the new leader of the Green Party of England and Wales earlier this month, told BBC that his party’s membership had surged past 75,000 by mid-September. Polanski, ever the diplomat, commented, "I really like Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana, and my door's always open for conversations." But he was also quick to point out the Greens’ current momentum: "The Green Party just really have momentum at the moment, and we don't have time to waste. I know a lot of people in this country right now want to see a party ready to challenge Reform and challenge this deeply unpopular Labour government, and that's exactly what I intend to do."
The row between Corbyn and Sultana is just the latest in a string of disagreements at the top of the new party, which was officially launched in July 2025. The group is due to hold its founding conference in November, and many hope that a formal structure—and perhaps a formal name—will help resolve some of the current uncertainty. But even the name of the party has been a sticking point: Sultana has made it clear she prefers "The Left Party," while Corbyn has hinted that "Your Party" could remain. Ultimately, the decision will be put to a vote by supporters, a move that could either unite or further divide the movement.
Despite the bumpy start, the party’s backers are keen to point out that more than 750,000 people have signed up to get involved since its launch in July. That’s a staggering figure for a political movement still in its infancy, and it suggests that, whatever the leadership’s internal troubles, there’s a real hunger for an alternative to the current political status quo. As one Corbyn ally put it to BBC, "there is appetite for a new left-wing party and [we] want to push ahead with the venture." Yet, without unity at the top, it’s unclear whether that appetite can be transformed into lasting political change.
The party’s internal processes have also come under scrutiny. Allies of Corbyn have denied that Sultana was excluded from consultations, saying that no decisions were made by the working group on data and finances. Meanwhile, Sultana maintains that her actions were guided by the agreed-upon roadmap. The ICO’s assessment will no doubt play a role in clarifying the facts, but in the meantime, the dispute has left many supporters feeling uneasy.
All of this comes at a time when the broader left in the UK is searching for direction. With Labour facing criticism from both its traditional base and new left-wing movements, and with Reform UK and the Greens both vying for disaffected voters, the stakes couldn’t be higher. As Fisher noted, "A lot of people... have probably looked at this and gone, 'Nope, not worth the bother. I might join the Greens with Zach Polanski, who is an articulate leader in a stable party that is making left-wing arguments.'"
There’s no doubt that the coming months will be crucial for "Your Party"—or whatever name it eventually adopts. The founding conference in November will provide an opportunity to settle some of the current disputes, elect leadership, and set a course for the future. But unless Corbyn, Sultana, and their supporters can find common ground, the risk is that the party’s promise will be lost in a haze of infighting and missed opportunities.
For now, supporters and observers alike are left watching, waiting, and wondering if the UK’s newest political experiment can overcome its growing pains and offer a genuine alternative on the left.
