Zarah Sultana says she is quitting Labour to start party with Corbyn...

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Ex-Labour MP Zarah Sultana has announced she is resigning from the party, saying she will be founding a new party with her former leader Jeremy Corbyn.

Sultana, the Coventry South MP stripped of the Labour whip last year for backing a move to scrap the two-child benefit cap, said the new party would be formed with other independent MPs and activists, aiming to challenge a "broken" Westminster system.

Corbyn has been contacted but has not confirmed his involvement to the BBC.

However last night, he had hinted he may form a new party, telling ITV's Peston "there is a thirst for an alternative" and that a "grouping will come together".

In a social media post, external, Sultana said the government is "an active participant in genocide" in Gaza - and highlighted growing poverty, the government's position on welfare, and the cost of living as reasons for establishing her new party.

"Labour has completely failed to improve people's lives. And across the political establishment, from Farage to Starmer, they smear people of conscience trying to stop a genocide in Gaza as terrorists.

"But the truth is clear: this government is an active participant in genocide. And the British people oppose it."

Israel has strenuously denied accusations it is committing genocide or genocidal acts in Gaza.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has described the situation in Gaza as "appalling and intolerable" and repeatedly called for a ceasefire, as well as the release of hostages.

But some MPs want him to go further and describe the situation in Gaza as a genocide, claims currently being examined by the International Court of Justice.

Sultana also referenced the government's welfare bill that passed this week, adding: "The government wants to make disabled people suffer; they just can't decide how much."

"We're not an island of strangers," she says, referencing a speech given by the prime minister in May about immigration, which he has since said he regrets. And she says at the next election, "the choice will be stark: socialism or barbarism".

Sultana was elected as a Labour MP at the 2024 general election but was suspended not long after, and has since sat in the Commons as an independent.

She was suspended with seven other Labour MPs, including former shadow chancellor John McDonnell, for defying the government over its two-child benefit cap.

Four have of the rebels have since returned to Labour, but Sultana and McDonnell remain independents.

Despite her suspension, she had remained a member of the Labour Party.

Responding to Sultana's announcement, McDonnell posted on social media: "I am dreadfully sorry to lose Zarah from the Labour Party.

"The people running Labour at the moment need to ask themselves why a young, articulate, talented, extremely dedicated socialist feels she now has no home in the Labour Party and has to leave."

Last year, Corbyn united with four other MPs elected as independents to establish an alliance in the House of Commons.

All five of the group beat Labour candidates in July's election with their pro-Palestinian stance in constituencies with large Muslim populations.

Speaking to ITV's Peston programme, he said he and fellow pro-Gaza independents would "come together" and "there will be an alternative".

He said it would be based on "peace rather than war".

His alliance includes MPs Shockat Adam, Ayoub Khan, Adnan Hussain, and Iqbal Mohamed.

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Sultana and Corbyn. Fruit and Nut. Got to be the Cadbury Party!

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New political party will be confusing, say voters



A new political party could become "confusing", say concerned constituents in the wake of MP Zarah Sultana's plan to launch one after her resignation from Labour.

Sultana made her declaration on Thursday to co-found the new left-wing party with former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

People in her Coventry constituency had mixed views on the news, with some also concerned another party would "dilute" things.

Constituent Jackie Brown told the BBC the country "will never get anything done" as she questioned: "Why are we diluting too many parties?"

Norman Brown [pictured] echoed her views, adding: "Another political party is just going to confuse what we already have, it's too many political parties.

"I don't think it's a good idea at all."

But some residents of the city supported Sultana's decision.

"Good on her, I think she's really popular around here isn't she," Sharon Luckett said.

"Farage has done it, and look how successful he's been.

"I think there's a lot of discord among the Labour Party and Labour voters, because they haven't really treated us terribly well."

Corbyn has praised the "principled decision" by Sultana - but councillor Jim O'Boyle told the BBC that if her resignation triggers a by-election, he would put himself forward.

O'Boyle, who is in charge of jobs, regeneration and climate change on the city council, represents St Michael's ward, within Sultana's Coventry South constituency.

He said: "It's the least surprising news I've heard in a long time – I knew this was going to happen, I'm afraid she was never really a true member of the Labour Party – she didn't believe in its values, she didn't believe in its outcomes."

O'Boyle questioned how "principled" the MP is, referencing an Early Day Motion signed by Sultana in 2020.

He said: "Of course she signed an EDM back in 2020 saying that any MP that crossed the floor and joined another party should resign and have a by-election, so let's see if she's as principled as she claims she is.

"She thinks she's principled but if she was principled then I'm sure she would then perhaps resign her seat and stand again and let's see how she gets on there."

Responding to whether he would contest a by-election, should it be triggered - he said he would "love to".

"I think it would be a great opportunity, clearly, to stand up for Labour values and Labour's policies which is what we do," O'Boyle explained.

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Coventry MP Zarah Sultana and Jeremy Corbyn issue first statement on new party



Coventry MP Zarah Sultana and Jeremy Corbyn have issued their first statement on their new party. It comes after the Coventry South MP resigned from the Labour Party two weeks ago and announced she'd be 'co-leading' a new party with former Labour leader.

At the time, the former Labour leader did not share the same statement, but said that 'discussions were on going. But now a joint statement, from both, has been posted on social media about the new party. The local MP shared the statement and said: "It's time for a new kind of political party - one that belongs to you."

In it, they say that the system is 'rigged' and said that 'real change is coming'.

It adds it is a movement 'made up pf people of all faiths and none' and that the party will be 'rooted in communities, trade unions and social movements'.

The statement goes on: "One that builds power in all regions and nations. One that belongs to you."

An inaugural conference is et to be held, where the statement says the party's direction will be decided. "This is how we will build a democratic movement that can take on the rich and powerful - and we can."

The party appears to have no official name as yet but people are being urged to sign up to up to http://www.yourparty.uk

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Coventry City Councillor quits 'failing' Labour for Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana's new party



A dissatisfied Labour councillor has quit the party and will stand as an independent on Coventry City Council while helping build Jeremy Corbyn’s new party. Cllr Grace Lewis, who represents the Westwood ward on Coventry City Council, said Labour had failed to stand up for working people and was looking forward to working with the former Labour leader and Coventry South MP Zarah Sultana after the pair announced they would be launching a a new left wing party.

In a statement Cllr Lewis, who was elected as a 20-year-old to the council in May last year after beating the incumbent Conservative councillor by 521 votes, expressed deep dissatisfaction with Labour Party policies. She highlighted its failure to deliver real change for working class communities across Coventry.

She said: “This is not the change people voted for, not the change I joined the Labour party for when I was 16. It is certainly not the change which people deserve.”

A former community organiser for Ms Sultana, Cllr Lewis also condemned Labour’s stance on austerity citing the cutting of support for disabled people, keeping the Tories’ two child benefit cap and slashing winter fuel payments. She also pointed to the party's failure to tackle the crisis of local government finance, which has left many authorities including Coventry previously warning of bankruptcy.

“The Labour-led Coventry City Council has failed to stand up for working people,” Cllr Lewis added. “When workers fight for decent living standards, the Labour Council responds by strike-breaking, undermining unions — the very foundations which the party was founded to defend.”

Cllr Lewis said she condemned Labour's deputy leader Angela Raynor and Coventry City Council for 'failing to stand up for working people' in relation to the Birmingham bin strikes.

Instead, she said Tom White waste trucks, a firm owned by Coventry City Council, had been sent into Birmingham to collect waste as union members strike over pay and conditions.

In expressing her support for the new political party she said: “When Zarah Sultana and Jeremy Corbyn announced its inception, I felt a sense of genuine political hope for the first time in a long time. Change doesn’t come from Westminster – it’s built from the ground up, from picket lines to the council chamber. I’ll keep fighting to put power and wealth back into the hands of the many, not the few”.

Ms Sultana said: “Grace is a formidable presence in local government and I’m proud to welcome her with open arms to the new political party we are building. Across the country, millions of people feel like they don’t have a political home. The Labour Party is dead and I would urge councillors and local leaders to ask themselves whether they’re really delivering the change that Keir Starter promised. I look forward to working alongside Grace as we fight for a better future for Coventry and for the country”.

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Corbyn and Sultana clash over new party membership



Ex-Labour MP Zarah Sultana has accused Jeremy Corbyn of overseeing a "sexist boys' club" locking women out of the founding of a new left-wing party the pair announced earlier this year.

Sultana said she had been sidelined by other members of the party's working group, despite an agreement she and Corbyn would jointly authorise key steps.

Earlier on Thursday, Your Party supporters had received an email offering £55 memberships, which Corbyn later dismissed as "unauthorised", saying he was seeking legal advice.

Your Party has referred the matter to the Information Commissioner's Office. Sultana said she had launched the membership website "in line with the road map" set out by party officials.

Before her statement, Sultana had been posting on social media throughout the morning encouraging people to sign up for the £55 full membership.

Sultana had claimed more than 20,000 people had signed up - meaning the new party could have raised more than £1m in a single morning.

In her statement she said: "My sole motivation has been to safeguard the grassroots involvement that is essential to building this party.

"Unfortunately, I have been subjected to what can only be described as a sexist boys' club: I have been treated appallingly and excluded completely.

"They have refused to allow any other women with voting rights on the Working Group, blocking the gender-balanced committee that both Jeremy and I signed up to."

Before Sultana's comments, Corbyn put out a conflicting statement signed by Ayoub Khan, Adnan Hussain, Iqbal Mohamed and Shockat Adam - members of the Independent Alliance of MPs who are founding the new party. Sultana's name was conspicuously missing from the list.

The message to supporters on Thursday morning claimed an "unauthorised email" had been sent promoting a membership portal under a new domain name.

They urged backers to ignore the message and cancel any direct debits that may have been set up.

Sultana defended her decision to set up the membership portal, insisting it was "in line with the road map set out to members on Monday and is a safe, secure, legitimate portal for the party".

She claimed she had set up the site to allow supporters to "continue to engage and organise", and that membership funds were held by a company set up by the party to safeguard money until November's founding conference.

Sultana also went on to raise concerns that long-time Corbyn ally Karie Murphy and her associates had been handed "sole financial control of members' money and sole constitutional control over our conference".

She called for Corbyn to publish all party structures, arguing only transparency would "restore hope for our members and ensure nothing like this can ever happen again".

"This party is bigger than any one person," she said, "and we owe it to the movement to uphold its democratic and socialist foundations."

In a statement, Your Party denied Murphy had "access to or control of any funds", calling her a "trusted and dedicated volunteer".

Your Party group has sent the case to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the data protection law watchdog, over suspected misuse of supporters' details.

The row is the latest falling out at the top of the new group that has yet to be named or hold an annual conference.