“Zarah is a phenomenal young woman”, said one MP. “Good riddance”, said another.
Last night (July 3), Coventry South MP Zarah Sultana announced she’d resigned her Labour membership and was going to be setting up a new political party, claiming she would co-lead it alongside the former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. Sultana was already sitting as an independent having had the Labour whip suspended for voting to scrap the two child benefit cap.
Sultana’s announcement has triggered a range of responses on the left.
The former shadow chancellor John McDonnell, who himself has had the Labour whip suspended for the same reason as Sultana said: “I am dreadfully sorry to lose Zarah from the Labour Party. The people running Labour at the moment need to ask themselves why a young, articulate, talented, extremely dedicated socialist feels she now has no home in the Labour Party and has to leave.”
Similar sentiments were expressed by the Labour MP Dawn Butler who said: “I’m sad to see Zarah leave the Labour party. Although I understand her frustration. Zarah is a phenomenal young woman, a fighter and an advocate for socialist values. Just in case it’s in any doubt, we will still be friends.”
The home secretary Yvette Cooper has, understandably, taken a very different view. When asked to respond to Sultana’s announcement and her criticism that the Labour government has not improved people’s lives, Cooper said: “I think she has always taken a very different view to most people in the government on a lot of different things, and that’s for her to do so”, going on to say “I just strongly disagree with her”.
Others still in the Labour Party took a much stronger line. The Labour MP David Taylor posted on X: “Went before she was kicked out, and good riddance”.
Similarly, Labour NEC member Abdi Duale simply said: “Good riddance”.
Former Labour NEC member Mish Rahman responded enthusiastically about Sultana’s announcement. He posted on X: “Glorious news!! This joint leadership will energise the existing base and re-engage those disillusioned while connecting with social movements and people alienated by the main parties. Bring it on!”
Others on the left indicated that they would want to see this new party work with the Green Party.
The journalist Adam Ramsay posted on X: “There is absolutely no avoiding that a red-green alliance is going to be necessary if/when this properly goes ahead. Greens will need a leader who can facilitate that.”
Similarly, the economist James Meadway said: “Red-Green alliance is an essential now. 60+ seats up for grabs. Decisive block in the next Parliament and the route towards a government of the left.”
The Green Party deputy leader Zack Polanski – who is currently running to be the party’s leader – stopped short of calling for such an alliance. However, he nevertheless appeared to welcome the move. He said: “Anyone who wants to take on the Tories, Reform and this failing Labour government is a friend of mine. Looking forward to seeing what this looks like in practice.”
Chris Jarvis is head of strategy and development at Left Foot Forward
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