Liverpool’s Exhibition Centre became the epicenter of British left-wing politics this weekend as the newly formed Your Party held its inaugural conference, revealing profound internal divisions and a power struggle between its two most prominent figures. While thousands gathered inside, co-founder Zarah Sultana stood outside in biting winds, symbolically positioning herself as a leader in exile before eventually boycotting proceedings in solidarity with excluded Socialist Workers Party members.
The conference unfolded against a backdrop of organizational chaos and ideological conflict. The party, which emerged from widespread outrage over Labour’s stance on Gaza and complicity in what many attendees termed Israeli genocide, has attracted approximately 55,000 members since its formation. Yet this diverse coalition—spanning democratic socialists, anarchists, communists, and Trotskyites—immediately faced fundamental questions about its identity and direction.
Central to the conflict was the escalating tension between Jeremy Corbyn’s vision of a broad-church party appealing to disengaged voters and Sultana’s uncompromising radicalism. This division manifested in two critical votes: one allowing dual membership (favored by Sultana) and another establishing collective leadership instead of a single figurehead (Corbyn’s preferred model). Both decisions ultimately favored Sultana’s approach, marking a significant defeat for Corbyn despite his team appearing to run the conference operations.
The gathering frequently descended into disorder, with debates on trans rights particularly exposing fault lines. The recent departure of two MPs who cited intolerance within the party highlighted these tensions, as Sultana maintained that “trans rights are human rights” represents non-negotiable socialist principles, while others advocated for more inclusive approaches to social conservatives.
When Sultana finally addressed the conference on Sunday, she received a hero’s welcome and delivered what amounted to a victory speech. She condemned “expulsions and bans” as tactics borrowed from “the Labour right’s handbook” and received standing ovations for declaring the party should become officially anti-Zionist and commit to replacing capitalism with socialism. Meanwhile, Corbyn applauded briefly before exiting stage right, physically embodying the growing divergence between the two leaders.
Despite the internal conflicts, attendees expressed unanimous agreement on one point: the stakes are too high for failure. With Reform UK topping polls and traditional parties ignoring ordinary citizens, members believe Your Party represents the final opportunity to build a movement capable of challenging the establishment and addressing systemic inequality.