Zarah Sultana has boycotted the first day of Your Party's inaugural conference, plunging the fledgling movement into chaos amid deepening divisions with co-founder Jeremy Corbyn over leadership structures and membership rules.
Sultana refused to enter the conference hall in Liverpool on Saturday in solidarity with delegates expelled for alleged links to other left-wing parties, describing the process as a 'witch-hunt'. The move is understood to have angered Corbyn and his allies, who had hoped to present a united front at the party's first official gathering.
Corbyn told journalists he favoured a single leadership model and is likely to stand for the role, while Sultana has backed collective leadership, arguing that parties should not be run by 'sole personalities'. If members opt for a single leader, Sultana is expected to challenge Corbyn for the position.
The party has been beset by infighting since its launch in July, when Sultana defected from Labour, initially suggesting she and Corbyn would co-lead. Corbyn later clarified that no final decision had been made. The pair have since struck a fragile peace, with Sultana likening their relationship to that of Noel and Liam Gallagher.
On Saturday, Corbyn defended the expulsions, stating that membership was conditional on not being aligned with other parties registered with the Electoral Commission. However, it was later clarified that the Socialist Workers Party—the group to which some expelled members were linked—is not registered with the commission.
A spokesperson for Your Party rejected Sultana's claims, saying: 'These claims are false. Members of another national political party signed up to Your Party in contravention of clearly stated membership rules – and these rules were enforced.' Sultana is expected to attend the conference on Sunday to deliver a planned speech.
