Former Labour Party and now independent MPs Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana announced that they were forming a new left-wing political party in the United Kingdom on 24 July 2025. Although it does not yet have an official name, the name "Your Party" is used on the party's sign-up website.
A permanent name is set to be decided at the party's founding conference in autumn 2025. The party is supported by the Independent Alliance, a group of six independent MPs in the UK House of Commons, which Sultana joined in July 2025.
Background
The idea of a new left-wing party had been considered for some time. Jeremy Corbyn was, for many years, a member of the Labour Party. First elected as a Labour Member of Parliament at the 1983 United Kingdom general election, he served as the Labour leader from 2015, when he was elected to succeed Ed Miliband, until 2020, when he resigned and Keir Starmer was elected to replace him. However, having been suspended from the party following his reaction to a report into antisemitism,[1] he stood in the 2024 general election in Islington North as an independent and was elected. He then formed a parliamentary group, the Independent Alliance, with four independent MPs who were elected on pro-Gaza platforms. In December 2024, The Spectator said that the Independent Alliance was likely to form a political party in 2025.[2] According to The Spectator, three of the members, Shockat Adam, Adnan Hussain and Ayoub Khan, were in favour of the creation of a political party to build momentum, but Corbyn was more hesitant.[2]
Zarah Sultana, who had been elected as a Labour Party MP in 2024 but subsequently had had the whip suspended, announced on 3 July 2025 that she was leaving Labour and planned to create a new political party with Corbyn and other independents.[a][4]Iqbal Mohamed of the Independent Alliance supported her comments on social media.[5] Corbyn confirmed there were ongoing discussions around forming a new party.[6]
Corbyn had not been expecting the announcement,[7][4][8] and it reportedly "frustrated" him.[4] According to The Times, Corbyn had not agreed to Sultana's statement, and had implored her to delete it after posting. The statement had come about following a vote among socialists involved in the discussions (including Corbyn and Sultana), where they voted in favour of forming a party co-led by the two figures. Corbyn's allies had abstained, as they wished to wait until a conference was held to vote on the leadership.[9]
Launch
On 24 July 2025, initially via a post on X, Corbyn and Sultana launched a website where people could sign up and inviting supporters to an inaugural conference. Promotion referred to "Your Party – and the new party that develops from it". The "Your Party" name was picked up in the media.[10][11][12] However, Sultana tweeted in response, "It's not called Your Party!", and it has been described as an interim name.[13]
Corbyn said that more than 80,000 people signed up to the party's mailing list in the first five hours,[14] and the party said it was over 300,000 by 25 July.[15] In less than a week, the party had received over 600,000 sign-ups.[16] As of 22 August, the party says it has over 800,000 sign-ups[17] (including over 23,000 in Wales[18] and over 40,000 in Scotland[19]).
The other members of the Independent Alliance expressed support for the creation of a new party, and welcomed Sultana to the group.[20][21]
BBC News said that the party seems likely to be established in time for the 2026 local elections.[13]Sky News reported that the party had about 200 councillors already involved, some of whom had come from existing independent groups.[14] Multiple former councillors, including former Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council Leader Hedley McCarthy, have joined the party.[22][14] The Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) has been involved in discussions for the new party and has offered to hand over its Electoral Commission registration.[23]
The inaugural conference will be held in Autumn 2025[30] and will decide the party's name[31] and policies.[32][33] Sultana stated that she would personally choose the name "The Left" or "The Left Party".[34][35][32] Corbyn suggested that "Your Party" could stick, but invited more ideas for the name.[36] Another reported possible name is "The People's Party".[37] An online form asking for suggestions for a name opened on 26 August.[38]
In August 2025, Sky News reported that the leadership of the party is a contentious topic internally. Allies of Corbyn suggested that he wanted an open leadership contest at the conference, though Sultana is reportedly less favourable of this idea, preferring a co-leadership model between the two; in response, she posted on X that she believed in an open vote and would like to co-lead, but that it would be up to the members to decide.[33]Leanne Mohamad, an independent activist who came within 528 votes of winning the Ilford North constituency in 2024, and Fiona Lali, leading member of the Revolutionary Communist Party, have also been spoken about as potential leadership options.[33]
Ahead of the conference, it was reported that senior figures in the party were splitting into two camps, or factions. One of the factions, which includes former mayor Jamie Driscoll and rival candidate to Keir Starmer Andrew Feinstein, are opposed to building a party straight away, instead arguing for an alliance involving various independent groups;[39] towards a 'federal approach' made up of a range of grassroots movements. Corbyn is thought to align with this group, and although Sultana is close to figures involved, she aligns with the other faction.[40] This other faction takes a 'party first' approach, establishing a 'cohesive, unified party'[39] and working out the grassroots details later.[40] This latter camp involves figures connected to Collective, an organisation which has played a large part in establishing the party.[40] Some figures, including Corbyn's former communications director James Schneider and Corbyn's senior advisor Andrew Murray, have argued for different models.[39]
The party is expected to be significantly more anti-Israel compared to Labour,[13] the party's founding platform setting out their opposition to selling any arms to the country.[42] A former Labour councillor, Amna Abdullatif, stated that support for the Gaza Strip will be central to the party.[43]
The party is planning on launching its first Scottish branch in Glasgow in September.[17]
In Parliament
The party is affiliated with six currently independent MPs, all belonging to the Independent Alliance.[51]
It was reported that the party is attempting to convince a number of sitting Labour MPs, including those from the Socialist Campaign Group, to defect and join the party.[37]
Alliances
Following the announcement of the party, there were calls to unite the broader left, focused on an alliance between the Green Party and the new party. Zack Polanski, who was elected leader of the Green Party of England and Wales while the new party was being formed, said he would be open to the idea. The campaign group founded by Owen Jones, 'We Deserve Better', also called for an alliance.[52]
However, Corbyn said in an interview that he did not support an alliance, preferring to work with the Green Party on particular issues in Parliament where the two parties had common ground.[52]
Polling
Polling carried out by YouGov in July 2025 found that 18% of the electorate would be open to consider voting for a new party led by Corbyn.[53] Another poll carried out by Ipsos in August found that 20% of voters considered themselves very or fairly likely to back the new party, while 31% would be open to voting for a united ticket between the new party and the Green Party.[54][55]
In standard voting intention polls, in July–August, the party polled between 4%[56] and 15%.[57]
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