Party Infighting in New Left Organization
In a move signaling persistent internal strife, the far-left factions led by Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana have agreed to implement a Politburo system, allowing members to make decisions without a designated leader.
Jeremy Corbyn, the former Labor Party leader expelled amid allegations of anti-Semitism, will no longer head the party he founded this year. The organization, now named Everyone’s Party, will not be led by Corbyn or Sultana, even though Corbyn supports a single-leader model.
Instead, at a Liverpool meeting on Sunday, the party members chose to be governed by a central executive committee (CEC), consisting of 16 non-politicians selected by the membership. The BBC reported that this decision passed with a narrow 51 percent approval and may exacerbate the existing divisions within the party.
The Politburo is set to manage the party’s resources, make staffing decisions, and craft strategies. A “democratic whip” system will be introduced to guide MPs in voting according to the party’s agenda. The process for selecting candidates in local elections will involve both the CEC and the party’s MPs, including figures like Corbyn, Shokat Adam, and Ayub Khan.
A spokesperson stated that this leaderless structure demonstrates a shift towards “doing politics differently,” focusing on grassroots involvement rather than top-down leadership.
“At Westminster, the political class is increasingly out of touch, serving corporations and billionaires instead of the communities they should represent,” the spokesperson added. “With a party truly led by the people, we aim to provide a more democratic and accountable alternative.”
Complications persisted during the conference, as co-founder Zarah Sultana boycotted the first day over actions that prevented certain party members and staff from attending due to their ties to other leftist organizations like the Socialist Workers’ Party (SWP).
Sultana expressed that individuals “should not be forced to choose” between allegiance to other political entities and “our new party,” labeling attempts to limit dual memberships as a “witch hunt.” This goal of inclusivity resonates with party members, who voted overwhelmingly to allow participation from multiple party affiliations.
Despite Sultana’s loyalty to Corbyn, tensions have arisen since they collaborated to establish the New Left Party. This included Sultana publicly announcing her leadership intentions ahead of Corbyn, designating herself as co-leader.
Additionally, Sultana set up her own membership portal last September, receiving around £800,000 in donations amidst legal disputes within the party over her actions. While she has returned £600,000 of those funds, she has yet to repay the remaining amount, citing the need to work out legal details. During this conflict, she hinted that Corbyn and other leaders were behaving like a “sexist boys’ club.”
Further disputes have arisen concerning identity politics, notably from the Islamist wing of Everyone’s Party. Founders Adnan Hussein and Iqbal Mohamed recently left the party, criticizing its alleged “toxic culture” toward Muslim men and decrying the “factional behavior and gatekeeping” that they believe dominates the party.
