Jeremy Corbyn has endorsed a slate of candidates, including a senior figure from a group that projected a contentious message onto Parliament, to run the internal elections for his new political venture, Your Party.
The Controversial Figure on the Slate
The former Labour leader today unveiled his endorsed group, named 'The Many', which will stand for election to the party's central executive committee (CEC). A prominent name on the list is Louise Regan, the national chair of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC).
Ms Regan's organisation made headlines in February 2024 when a protest it organised saw the slogan 'from the river to the sea' projected onto the Elizabeth Tower and Big Ben. The phrase is considered by many as deeply offensive and anti-Semitic, interpreted as a call for the removal of Jewish people from Israel. The projection occurred during a period of intense global focus on the conflict in Gaza.
Alongside her role with the PSC, Louise Regan also sits on the executive of the National Education Union (NEU).
Who Else is in 'The Many'?
Jeremy Corbyn himself is standing for a seat on the CEC, a move that follows a members' vote to reject having a single leader for Your Party. He is joined by Laura Smith, a former Labour MP for Crewe and Nantwich.
Ms Smith attracted significant attention in 2018 when, at a fringe event during the Labour party conference, she called for a UK-wide general strike to 'topple' the Conservative government if Labour lost a general election. Her extraordinary call for mass industrial action, which would have broken the law, received a standing ovation from an audience that included then-shadow justice secretary Richard Burgon.
Other figures on the Corbyn-backed slate include two independent MPs who have been working alongside him: Shockat Adam (Leicester South) and Ayoub Khan (Birmingham Perry Barr).
Internal Rules and Past Friction
Your Party has issued specific rules for its first internal election, urging candidates to refrain from 'personal attacks' on rivals. This directive comes after the party's formative months were reportedly marred by factional infighting.
The official rules state that candidates must act in a 'respectful, comradely, and non-abusive manner' in all contexts, including on social media. This follows a clash in December between interim leader Corbyn, his allies, and fellow former Labour MP Zarah Sultana, who at one point accused them of running a 'sexist boys club'.
In a statement, Jeremy Corbyn outlined his vision, saying: 'I want Your Party to unite our communities on the issues that affect people's lives: rising bills, soaring rents, and grotesque inequality.' He emphasised policies like public ownership, wealth taxes, and an end to war.
The election results for the central executive committee are scheduled to be announced at the end of February, following a contest lasting nearly two months.
