Jeremy Corbyn made a direct appeal for unity during his closing speech at the inaugural conference of the new left-wing Your Party, acknowledging deep-seated frustrations with the party's own establishment. The weekend gathering in Liverpool, attended by 2,500 delegates, was marked by internal disputes and a significant organisational decision to adopt a model of collective leadership.
A Chaotic Birth and Enduring Splits
The party's journey to its first conference has been fraught from the outset. The project suffered an early blow dubbed "terrible Thursday" in September, when Zarah Sultana's announcement she was leaving Labour to co-lead with Corbyn was undermined by his team briefing the press they were not yet committed. Technical and financial missteps at launch, including a membership portal set up by Sultana that collected fees and data without full agreement, generated damaging headlines about mismanagement.
The factionalism has led to tangible splits. Two of the initial six MP backers—Blackburn's Adnan Hussain and Dewsbury and Batley's Iqbal Mohamed—have since quit, citing a toxic and insufficiently inclusive atmosphere. This highlights a core tension: the party must bridge culturally conservative MPs elected on pro-Gaza tickets and progressive members focused on issues like transgender rights.
Decisions from Liverpool: A Name and a New Structure
After months of debate, the party confirmed it would keep its provisional name, Your Party, after 37% of members voted for it over alternatives like Our Party and Popular Alliance. The more consequential outcome was a narrow vote for a collective leadership model. This means a new member-led executive will handle management and strategy, with a chair, deputy chair, and spokesperson providing public-facing leadership.
This structure, seen as a win for Sultana's vision, avoided a potentially bitter contest between her and Corbyn for a single leader role. In another move aligning with her stance, conference voted to allow dual membership with other political groups. This followed Sultana's refusal to attend Saturday's proceedings in solidarity with delegates expelled over links to other left-wing parties, which she labelled a "witch-hunt."
The Strategic Threat from a Surging Green Party
While Your Party grapples with internal organisation, a significant external challenge is emerging. The Zack Polanski-led Green Party of England and Wales is making decisive inroads on the progressive left. With membership now exceeding the Conservatives and a £4 million windfall from new joiners, the Greens are capitalising on momentum that threatens to outflank Your Party before it is fully formed.
Recent YouGov polling suggests around 12% of voters would consider backing Your Party, indicating a sizable bloc of left-wing voters disillusioned with Keir Starmer's government. However, the Greens appear to be capturing a significant portion of those alienated by Your Party's chaotic start, presenting a major strategic dilemma.
The Road Ahead: Policy, Candidates and Public Perception
The party faces a formidable to-do list. It must decide swiftly if it will contest the Scottish parliament, Welsh Senedd and English local elections in May 2026, a process that requires rigorous candidate vetting—a task that has troubled other new parties like Reform UK. Furthermore, the party has been deliberately light on policy, but members and the electorate will soon demand a clear platform.
As senior correspondent Geraldine McKelvie noted, crafting that platform carries risks. If policies on issues like NATO—where public support for exit is around 8%—are too far from the mainstream, soft-left voters may opt for the Liberal Democrats as a more moderate protest vote. The coming months will reveal whether the Liverpool conference provided clarity or simply laid the groundwork for further factional argument within a party that, not yet a year old, has already become an epitome of left-wing division.
