Jeremy Corbyn has confirmed he is setting up a new left-wing political party to take on Keir Starmer after claiming that “the system is rigged”.
In a message encouraging potential supporters to register their interest, the former Labour leader said it was “time for a new kind of political party – one that belongs to you” and he called for the “mass redistribution of wealth and power”.
The announcement comes after weeks of speculation about the new venture and is a blow to Sir Keir, with the new party threatening to split voters on the left.
While former allies of Mr Corbyn, including ex-shadow chancellor John McDonnell, have said they will not join the new party, Mr Corbyn has already united the so-called “Gaza independents” who unseated Labour MPs at the last general election.
Zarah Sultana, second right, with ex-Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, second left (PA)
A recent Find Out Now poll suggested that the new party would be equal third to Labour in support with 15 per cent each, behind Reform on 34 per cent and the Tories on 17 per cent.
Mr Corbyn said that the new group, a joint venture with former Labour MP Zarah Sultana, aims to “build a democratic movement that can take on the rich and powerful – and win”.
But the announcement sparked confusion after it was unclear what the new party’s name would be.
In his statement, Mr Corbyn, the independent MP for Islington North, urged backers to visit a website called yourparty.uk. But, in response to reports on the new party, Ms Sultana wrote on Twitter: “It’s not called Your Party!”
Mr Corbyn later suggested it would be a holding name until the new name is decided in consultation with members.
Asked what the new name would be, he said: “We’re going to decide when we’ve had all the responses, and so far the response rate has been massive.
“They’ve been coming in at 500 a minute wanting to support and join the new party.”
Ms Sultana had announced plans earlier this month to co-lead a new party alongside Mr Corbyn, taking aim at the Labour government for having “completely failed to improve people’s lives”.
The announcement appeared to come as a surprise to Mr Corbyn who initially failed to comment, sparking speculation he had not fully committed to join.
But speaking to reporters as he launched the party, the former Labour leader insisted he and Ms Sultana are “working absolutely together on this” – despite the fact she wasn’t present.
Asked where she was, he said: “She happens to be, as far as I know at this moment, in Coventry.”I was in touch with her just a few moments ago. So it’s all fine. We’re working very well together, all of us.”
Unveiling more details on Thursday, Mr Corbyn said his party would tax the rich and invest in council houses.
But the former Labour leader put his new movement’s top policy as the Middle East saying it would support Palestine and be “made up of people of all faiths and none”.
The pro-Gaza independent MPs who have allied with him unseated former Labour frontbencher Jonathan Ashworth and almost cost senior ministers Wes Streeting, Shabana Mahmood and Jess Phillips their seats.
Mr Corbyn recently attended a rally with Leanne Mohammed, the pro-Gaza independent candidate who lost to Mr Streeting by a handful of votes last year in Ilford North and plans to run against the health secretary again.
On Thursday Mr Streeting reposted a tweet mocking the new party’s message, by describing itself as “Not Your Party”.
A Labour source said: “The electorate has twice given its verdict on a Jeremy Corbyn-led party.” Corbyn lost the 2017 and 2019 general elections as leader of Labour.
Mr Corbyn hit out at the government’s approach to the war in Gaza (AFP/Getty)
Others likely to join include Faiza Shaheen, who was deselected at the last minute by Labour for Chingford and Woodford Green but ran as an independent, preventing her former party taking the seat off ex-Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith.
Mr Corbyn said millions of people were “horrified by the government’s complicity in crimes against humanity” in supporting Israel.
“Now, more than ever, we must defend the right to protest against genocide,” he wrote. “We believe in the radical idea that all human life has equal value. That is why we will keep demanding an end to all arms sales to Israel, and for the only path to peace: a free and independent Palestine”.
He added that “great dividers” wanted the public to think the problems in our society are caused by “migrants or refugees”.
“They’re not,” he wrote. “They are caused by an economic system that protects the interests of corporations and billionaires.”
He added: “The system is rigged when 4.5 million children live in poverty in the sixth richest country in the world. The system is rigged when giant corporations make a fortune from rising bills. The system is rigged when this government says there is no money for the poor, but billions for war. We cannot accept these injustices – and neither should you.”
Luke Tryl, from pollsters More in Common, said that when his organisation looked at the idea of a new Jeremy Corbyn-led party last month it “took 10 per cent of the vote, taking votes from Labour and the Greens.”
Lord Kinnock said the left-wingers would “only assist the enemies of Labour” by forming a breakaway challenger party.
He said that division on the left “can only assist the parties of the right”, including Kemi Badenoch’s Conservatives and Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.
Mr Corbyn led the Labour Party from 2015 to 2020 before being suspended following a row over a report into antisemitism in the party.
He was expelled in 2024 and successfully contested the summer election as an Independent candidate.
Ms Sultana had the Labour whip withdrawn after rebelling against the government to vote to scrap the two-child benefit cap. She resigned her Labour membership in 2025.
