Jeremy Corbyn or Zara Sultana will not lead ‘Your Party’ after members’ vote
The party’s founding confidence voted for the new left-wing party – hit by toxic internal rows and threats of legal action – to be led by ‘ordinary members’ at founding conference
The new left-wing movement “Your Party” won’t be led by Jeremy Corbyn or Zarah Sultana after a major members’ vote.
The party’s founding confidence instead voted for the new party – hit by toxic internal rows and threats of legal action – to be led by “ordinary members” rather than MPs.
Members voted in favour of the “collective” option by 51.6% compared to 48.4% who voted for a traditional single leadership model. It avoids a potentially bruising contest between Ms Sultana, who resigned from the Labour Party in the summer, and ex-Labour leader Mr Corbyn. The rules will be reviewed in late 2027, party officials said.
Ms Sultana, who also boycotted the conference’s first day amid a row over expulsions, described the result on Sunday as “exciting”.
READ MORE: Jeremy Corbyn calls for unity at Your Party conference – but Zarah Sultana boycotts first dayREAD MORE: Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana’s Your Party reveals shortlist for official name
She said: “I have fought for maximum member democracy since day one. Seeing members choose collective leadership is truly exciting. Together, we’re building a new socialist party — radically democratic and powered by a mass movement. This party will be led by its members not MPs. This is only the beginning.”
The former Labour is expected to end her boycott of the conference today – after refusing to enter on the first day in protest at the party’s expulsion and “witch hunt” of some members.
A Your Party spokesman said: “This vote shows that we really are doing politics differently: from the bottom-up, not the top-down. In Westminster we have a professional political class increasingly disconnected from ordinary people, serving corporations and billionaires instead of the communities they are supposed to represent.
“With a truly member-led party, we will offer something different: democratic, grassroots, accountable.”
During the debut conference, members are also voting on an official name for the party, including the option of the current holding name “Your Party”. Other possible names include “Our Party”, “Popular Alliance”, and “For the Many”, with the result being announced later on Sunday.
