Corbyn launches new party membership after furious clash with co-founder Zarah Sultana

Jeremy Corbyn has apologised for the bitter chaos that has engulfed his fledgling political party, admitting supporters have endured “fraught days” as a damaging row with co-founder Zarah Sultana threatened to derail the project before it even began.

In a video message released on Wednesday, the former Labour leader announced that membership for the party was now officially open and revealed plans for its founding conference to take place in Liverpool at the end of November. He also directly acknowledged the disarray of the past week, telling supporters he was “sorry for the confusion in getting to this point.”

The turmoil stemmed from the launch of an alternative membership portal by Sultana, which Corbyn quickly disavowed. The fallout spiralled into public accusations and even threats of legal action. Sultana accused the breakaway group of Independent Alliance MPs around Corbyn of running a “sexist boys’ club,” while her critics reported her to the information commissioner. She later confirmed she would drop her defamation threat, seeking instead to repair fractured relations.

Despite the apology, Corbyn’s video conspicuously avoided any direct mention of Sultana. The only glimpses of her came fleetingly: one from behind while she spoke on a panel and another as she stood with MPs holding a banner. The omission has only deepened questions about how unified the party truly is.

Corbyn attempted to reassure members that, despite the bruising row, the project remained on track. “We’ve had some fraught days in the last week, as you will no doubt be very aware. And to be honest, we haven’t covered ourselves in glory,” he admitted. “But what is most important is this: we all agree about the plans for the conference and the road map to get to it.”

The new party, dubbed Your Party, has already attracted the interest of 750,000 people since its launch in the summer. In an email sent out on Wednesday, it confirmed that 13,000 members would take part in the Liverpool conference, where they will debate and amend the founding documents. The attendees will be chosen by lottery, with organisers promising fair representation across gender, region, and background. The final decisions will be ratified by a digital vote open to all members.

Corbyn emphasised that his role, along with other Independent Alliance MPs, would be temporary. “Once the party is established at the conference, the role that I and others have been playing to get it off the ground will end,” he said. “Our role is not to run the party, not to control it, not to direct it. It is merely to steward the founding of the party that will belong to the grassroots, to the members, who will make the key decisions and elect a leadership through one member, one vote.”

Sultana, however, struck a defiant tone on social media. Posting on X shortly after Corbyn’s announcement, she declared: “I’m a member of Your Party – and if you haven’t joined yet, you should too. I’ll remain a fierce advocate for the grassroots – and will continue to fight hard for maximum member democracy.” She reassured those who had already joined through her system that their data and membership would be transferred across.

Yet questions linger over whether the ambitious Liverpool conference can go ahead as planned. Sky News reported that Corbyn had not yet secured the ACC Liverpool venue, despite publicly naming it as the host site. An ACC spokesperson declined to confirm details, saying only: “All event enquiries are handled in strict confidence between our team and prospective clients, therefore we are unable to provide any further comment on this matter.”

The episode leaves Corbyn’s movement facing a critical test. Supporters see November’s gathering as the moment the party will finally take shape. But after a bruising start marked by bitter disputes, apologies, and public discord, the party’s founding days have already raised stark doubts about whether unity on the left can survive its own birth.