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More Your Party splits as Sultana snubs Corbyn

BRIGHTON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 28: Labour MP for Coventry South Zarah Sultana (L) speaks with former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn after addressing an audience at a fringe event for political festival The World Transformed, on the fourth day of the Labour Party conference on September 28, 2021 in Brighton, England. Labour return to Brighton for their in-person 2021 conference from Saturday 25 to Wednesday 29 September. This will be Keir Starmer's first conference as party Leader. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)

Oh dear. As if there hadn’t been enough hiccups in the launch of new left wing group Your Party, it appears there has been another bump in the road. It transpires that Jeremy Corbyn has, er, not been invited to a rally on the eve of the conference hosted by the party’s co-founder Zarah Sultana. Awkward…

Jezza’s spokesperson confirmed that the ex-Labour leader had not been asked along to Sultana’s Liverpool event – which has been described by Zarah herself as an ‘unapologetically socialist, anti-Zionist, anti-imperialist programme’. But while it has been sold as a Your Party rally, it is not an official party event – and its tickets are being sold through Sultana’s personal Action Network campaign. How curious. 

The revelation follows a number of splits that have haunted the party since its formation. First Sultana announced her co-leadership of the group against Corbyn’s will. Then came the confusion about the organisation’s name. After that there was a rather serious split over party funding and membership fees – which prompted legal action. And more recently, Your Party made public more disagreements over money – as Sultana was due to speak on BBC Question Time. Corbyn’s conference snub is only the latest sign of infighting. Talk about trouble in paradise, eh?

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Steerpike is The Spectator's gossip columnist, serving up the latest tittle tattle from Westminster and beyond. Email tips to steerpike@spectator.co.uk or message @MrSteerpike

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