Former Labour leader and now Independent MP Jeremy Corbyn has officially launched a new political party, joining forces with fellow MP Zarah Sultana, who recently left Labour to sit as

an independent.

In a joint statement, Corbyn and Sultana declared: “It’s time for a new kind of political party – one that belongs to you.” They are urging supporters to get involved in creating what they describe as “a real, democratic alternative rooted in communities up and down the country.”

Criticising the current political system as “rigged”, the duo has invited supporters to take part in the founding conference of the new movement. The launch statement highlights issues such as rising child poverty, profiteering by large corporations amid increasing living costs, and government spending priorities that favour military expenditure over social welfare. “We cannot accept these injustices – and neither should you,” the letter states.

Though currently branded as Your Party, this name appears provisional. The website refers to “Your Party – and the new party that develops from it”, and Sultana has clarified on X (formerly Twitter), “It’s not called Your Party!” The group is not yet registered with the Electoral Commission, meaning it cannot officially contest elections at this stage.

However, the new political force is reportedly preparing to field candidates in next year’s local elections.

The party's emerging platform promises a major “redistribution of wealth and power”, including higher taxes on the richest individuals, public ownership of key utilities like energy, rail, water, and mail, and keeping the NHS fully public. Other priorities include building large numbers of council homes, acting on the climate crisis, protecting the right to protest, and halting arms sales to Israel.

Sultana has previously been a vocal advocate for a wealth tax, aligning with several other left-leaning MPs who had challenged the Labour leadership on economic issues. She was suspended from the Parliamentary Labour Party last year for defying the whip in a vote to end the two-child benefit cap – a move that contributed to her eventual departure.

While speculation continues about whether other prominent figures like former shadow chancellor John McDonnell might join the new party, no such moves have been confirmed. Corbyn, who was suspended from Labour in 2020 and re-elected as an independent MP in 2024, currently leads a small bloc of independent MPs aligned on key issues like the Israel-Gaza conflict. This group is expected to form the foundation of the new party.

The political landscape on the British left may be shifting – and Corbyn and Sultana appear intent on building a new home for disillusioned voters and activists seeking a more radical alternative. Photo by YouTube/RevolutionBahrainMC, Wikimedia commons.