BLACKBURN — More than one thousand people packed into a venue in Blackburn yesterday for the inaugural official meeting of "Your Party," a new political movement spearheaded by former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and Member of Parliament Zarah Sultana. The event, which marked the party’s high-profile debut in the North West of England, was chaired by local MP Adnan Hussain and featured a broad coalition of speakers addressing domestic socioeconomic challenges alongside vocal solidarity with Palestine.
The gathering underscored both the considerable grassroots energy driving the fledgling movement and the complex political and ideological debates surrounding its leadership, particularly regarding questions of Zionism and anti-semitism.
A Grassroots Alternative to the Political Establishment
The event opened with remarks from Adnan Hussain MP, who reflected on his parents’ migration to Britain and how their working-class struggles shaped his own political worldview. Hussain framed Your Party not merely as an electoral vehicle, but as a broad grassroots movement designed to give voice to ordinary working-class people whom he argued have been left behind by both major legacy political parties.
"Today, as I’ve said, I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing Blackburn, Lancashire, the North West, to a new political movement," Hussain told the receptive audience. He emphasized that the party stands "not for the elite, not for the wealthy, but for you, the working class."
While maintaining that Your Party is built upon collective principles rather than centered on any single personality, Hussain drew enthusiastic applause and cheers when he posed the prospect of a United Kingdom led by Jeremy Corbyn as Prime Minister. He quickly pivoted back to the movement’s broader philosophy, adding that the focus must remain on Corbyn’s vision and policy offerings rather than individual accolades.
The event’s speakers frequently highlighted the diverse makeup of the audience and the platform itself. Birmingham MP Ayoub Khan, who has closely aligned with Your Party, told the crowd that large and diverse political movements pose a distinct challenge to the political establishment.
"Nothing frightens politicians more than seeing a movement that is as large and as diverse as this one, Your Party," Khan said, prompting attendees to look around the room as a reflection of modern Britain. Organizers noted that the majority of attendees were non-Muslim, spanning a wide range of ages, genders, and faith backgrounds, which they presented as a core strength of the coalition.
Addressing Domestic Struggles and Foreign Policy
When Jeremy Corbyn took the stage, he was greeted with enthusiastic chants of "Free Palestine," a refrain that resurfaced at various points throughout the evening. Later in the meeting, some sections of the crowd escalated the slogan to "Death, death to the IDF," highlighting the intense passions surrounding the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and its central role in the movement’s rhetoric.
Corbyn’s address spanned a wide array of domestic crises, touching heavily on systemic issues such as housing shortages, endemic poverty, rising homelessness, and soaring university tuition fees. Rather than treating these domestic concerns in isolation, Corbyn tied them directly to Britain’s historical and contemporary involvement in foreign wars and global economic inequality.
Turning specifically to the Middle East, Corbyn sharply criticized Israeli policy, declaring, "We are always coming up against the Israeli expansionism led by the Zionist ideology, that they have a right to occupy Gaza and the West Bank." He reiterated that Your Party is intended to be an open, inclusive, democratic, and community-driven alternative rooted in grassroots activism.
Navigating Tensions Over Zionism and Antisemitism
The Blackburn conference unfolded against a backdrop of ongoing scrutiny regarding Corbyn’s personal stance on Zionism. Earlier in the week, media outlets circulated footage of Corbyn declining to directly answer whether he considers himself anti-Zionist—a stark contrast to Zarah Sultana, who has previously and openly declared her anti-Zionist position.
To address these sensitivities, Professor Marion Roberts of Jewish Voice for Labour (JVL) spoke to the audience, addressing questions surrounding antisemitism, Zionism, and the controversies that shadowed Corbyn’s tenure as leader of the Labour Party.
"Members of the bloc have and will have different electoral and political allegiances," Roberts told the crowd, before elaborating on the origins of her organization. She stated that JVL was originally established to support Jeremy Corbyn during his leadership and to counter what she described as false accusations of antisemitism intended to shield the state of Israel from legitimate international criticism.
Despite the gravity and controversy of the topics discussed, organizers did not open the floor to public questions during the conference. Critics noted that this format avoided potentially difficult and contentious live debates.
Following the conclusion of the event, when pressed by reporters on whether members of the party would face scrutiny over their positions on Zionism, Adnan Hussain defended the movement’s focus.
"Nobody should be penalised against a genocide, the killing of innocent children," Hussain said. "They must be protected and anyone who is opposed to that must never be penalised."
The Blackburn conference successfully demonstrated the tangible enthusiasm and organizational momentum behind Your Party in the North West. At the same time, it brought into sharp relief the lingering ideological tensions over leadership, foreign policy, and whether the new movement can successfully carve out a distinct and sustainable identity independent of its predecessor’s legacy.