In a stunning development that has sent shockwaves through British politics, the newly-formed Your Party has rejected its most prominent founders as leaders, opting instead for a radical collective leadership model.
A Surprise Decision at Liverpool Conference
The left-wing party, established by former Labour MPs Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana, made the dramatic announcement during its inaugural conference at the ACC in Liverpool this weekend. Hundreds of supporters gathered at the same venue where Labour held its conference just two months earlier to determine the party's future direction.
In what many described as a shocking twist, members voted against having Corbyn or Sultana as individual leaders. Instead, they embraced a collective leadership structure that aims to distribute power more evenly among members.
Narrow Victory Sparks Conference Drama
The decision proved particularly controversial given the narrow margin of victory. The collective leadership option secured just 51.6% of the vote, indicating significant division within the fledgling party.
The announcement drew audible gasps and shocked reactions from delegates in the main conference hall. A party spokesperson defended the outcome, stating: 'This vote shows that we really are doing politics differently: from the bottom-up, not the top-down.'
The spokesperson elaborated on the party's philosophy, criticising what they described as 'a professional political class increasingly disconnected from ordinary people, serving corporations and billionaires instead of the communities they are supposed to represent.'
Internal Tensions Surface Publicly
The lead-up to the conference had been marked by visible internal strife, with co-founder Zarah Sultana publicly clashing with Corbyn and other members of the parliamentary group known as the Independent Alliance.
Tensions reached boiling point on Saturday when Sultana announced she would boycott the conference's first day after members of another socialist party were prevented from entering the venue.
In comments that highlighted the deepening divisions, Sultana criticised what she called 'an unelected clique that have been brought in and who have been doing damage to this party.' Her scheduled speech was notably absent from the official livestream, replaced instead by a caption reading 'we will be back soon.'
The party, which was founded four months ago by the two Independent MPs after their departure from Labour, now faces the challenge of implementing its unconventional leadership model while managing internal disagreements that have already spilled into public view.
