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The fledgling left-wing political movement "Your Party," co-founded by Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana, has been plunged into a public crisis, seemingly on the brink of collapse just weeks after its launch. The dramatic split, which has dominated headlines, stems from a clash over control, fundraising, and allegations of a "sexist boys' club" at the party's core.
The latest escalation occurred when Ms. Sultana unilaterally launched a paid membership portal, encouraging supporters to join the party for £55 annually or £5 per month. This move, which she claims was a necessary step to "safeguard grassroots involvement," was immediately disavowed by Mr. Corbyn and the four other MPs of the Independent Alliance, who form the rest of the party's parliamentary group. In a joint statement, the group denounced Ms. Sultana's action as an "unauthorised email" and a "false membership system," confirming that they have referred the matter to the Information Commissioner's Office over concerns about data collection and payments.
This is not the first time the co-founders have been at odds. The party's launch in July was also reportedly a unilateral announcement by Ms. Sultana that left Mr. Corbyn "furious and bewildered." This most recent episode, however, appears to be a terminal blow. Ms. Sultana responded to the group's public rebuke with a blistering statement, claiming she had been "sidelined" and "frozen out of the official accounts" by a "sexist boys' club." She further singled out Karie Murphy, Mr. Corbyn's long-time associate, as having too much influence over the party's finances and constitution. The "Corbyn Five" have defended Ms. Murphy, stating she is a "trusted and dedicated volunteer" who has no access to or control of the party's funds.
The public feud has left the estimated 800,000 people who had registered an interest in the party in limbo. While Ms. Sultana claims over 20,000 people signed up for her membership portal before it was disavowed, the future of their contributions and the party itself remains uncertain. The infighting has been described as a struggle between two different visions for the party: Ms. Sultana's push for a member-led, grassroots organization and Mr. Corbyn's allies' desire for a tighter, more centralized structure. With crisis talks reportedly underway, it seems Ms. Sultana's fate within the group is sealed, and it is now a question of whether "Your Party" can survive as a coherent political entity at all.
