Your Corbyn/Sultana Party - Discussion thread

[fromorbit]

The new left party is going to have significant implications for gender and sex discussions on the left in the UK and in wider political debate as well. Lets talk about it.

Four of its prospective MPs are Gaza independents whose votes and comments in the Commons indicate a social conservative background . One of them Adnan Hussain has already got into a row on X with prospective members over his social conservatism.

The hilarious breakdown of the Islamo-left alliance
The progressive left has suddenly noticed that most British Muslims are not exactly woke.
This uneasy marriage got a reality check last week when a Green Party councillor and practising Muslim, Mothin Ali, appeared reluctant to sign a set of ‘pledges’ on behalf of the LGBTQIA+ Greens, Feminist Greens and other similar groups. The MP for Blackburn, ‘Gaza Independent’ Adnan Hussain, then waded into the debate. ‘It’s no secret that Muslims tend to be socially conservative’, Hussain said. ‘Is there a space on the left to create a broad enough church to allow Muslims an authentic space, just as it does other minority groups?’
https://www.spiked-online.com/2025/08/04/the-hilarious-breakdown-of-the-islamo-left-alliance/

The initial statement for Your Party focuses on poverty, fighting the system and Gaza, but makes no mention of progressive social issues, . This already signals something significant.
https://www.yourparty.uk/statement

Zarah Sultana on the other hand has already signaled out trans rights as a key principal in a recent interview which has received push back from others. Discussion here:

The Elephant in the Room for Zara Sultana’s “Your Party”
https://labourheartlands.com/the-elephant-in-the-room/
But here’s the rub. Sultana also pledged to “resolutely” advocate for a pro-trans socialist programme. She insists these discussions must happen openly and democratically.

That sounds fine in theory. In practice, the left has already shown itself utterly incapable of having this conversation without collapsing into authoritarian cancel culture.

Can the Left Have an Honest Trans Debate Without Cancelling Women?

For years, women who raise legitimate questions about the impact of gender self-ID on female-only spaces, or about the safeguarding implications highlighted by the Cass Review, have been branded as bigots and driven out of the movement. “Demonising trans people” is often code for “asking difficult but necessary questions.” If Your Party repeats this mistake, it will bleed support from countless socialist women before it even begins.

The truth is, many women will not get involved in this project precisely because of the Corbyn–Sultana line on trans issues. Others may hope the problem quietly goes away. It won’t. Nor is this a side issue: women’s rights are not negotiable add-ons to socialism; they are foundational. To ignore them is to build on sand.

TAs online and who are planning to join are already girding up for war, it is looking messy.

I can see a number of factions inside the new party who are going to make things complicated:

Muslim social conservatives - as mentioned they will be a major part of the party's voting bloc.

Old school Marxists who regard gender ideology as neo liberal capitalist identity politics and a distraction from class.

Realists who will see gender stuff as a marginal issue which needs to be sidelined because it is so toxic and unpopular with the general public.

Last but certainly not least actual left wing feminists who see through gender nonsense and are not going to be quiet about it !!

I expect fireworks over gender at the the party's initial conference supposedly to be held in November. TAs will attempt to make genderism a key principal of the party and will face resistance. Whether it happens or not it will be another nail in the TAs attempt to pretend the left inherently back neoliberal capitalist ideas like genderism. The big terfy mother elephant is going to be at the conference because women keep doing awkward things like existing and saying things.

Corbyn's position is going to be a focus in this because for all his occasional signalling on trans issues like stating pronouns and saying mantras it is not a core issue for him, and moreover he doesn't believe in it narrowly . His circles have long contained gender critical people who he has refused to cancel, because Corbyn for all his faults believes in open debate. So I think this could be a wedge issue between those around Sultana and Corbyn. There are already signs of disagreements between them over other issues like antisemitism:
Sultana: Corbyn 'capitulated' on antisemitism definition
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c79lr40rqelo

obvs that poster was wrong about interfaith marriages. C of E churches certainly allow them, though Catholic do not.
Catholics can marry non Catholics/christians in church as long as they promise to bring children up in the Catholic faith.

Thank you, silly me - that's exactly what my Protestant grandmother did to marry my Catholic grandfather. I just didn't realise that applied to non Christians, too.

UPDATE Hussain is doubling down he is actually doing something unherd of. Listening to women who are upset about being told they don't exist. Plus telling the left they are being racist. Which they clearly are by ducking the issue.

He is also continuing his feud with Windy. Check out these posts. No idea what happens next , but Your Party is heading for a way way bigger crisis.

Adnan Hussain MP 8h
https://x.com/AdnanHussainMP

I don't "expect" anything from people who turn at the slightest hint of an opinion or view not perfectly aligned with their own.

I'm perfectly capable of "defending" and representing myself.

Time to look past the brown man being nothing more than the left's perfect victim.

Quote
camilo ·Sep 1
You don’t get it.

Adnan expects you to defend him against the racists roaming on the streets while he steps over your trans comrades.

Adnan Hussain MP 7h
No, I honestly don't expect you to "fight" for me. No thanks.

P.s. it's true, I am ethnically Pakistani, I've never denied the fact, I'm extremely proud of who I am.
Quote
India Willoughby 8h
Exact same slurs. But Adnan Hussain expects me to fight for him (which I will) - but instead of having solidarity against common enemies, he joins IN the attack on women like me. Same goes for @MothinAli too. Hypocrites. @zarahsultana

Adnan Hussain MP reposted
Tory Fibs
Replying to AdnanHussainMP
and MothinAli
Delighted with the result. Those who tried to cancel Mothin should take note. Democracy and the quiet majority won.

Adnan Hussain MP
To provide some context to this vicious attack from so-called allies on the left.

In the lead up to the Your Party event in Blackburn, we sent out a qr code encouraging people to ask questions about the new party.

Questions and concerns like the ones below were common. 1/

[lots of comments from women see link]
2:54 PM · Sep 2, 2025
176.5KViews

2/ this is not the first time I've met with such concerns. Women in my constituency have expressed similar sentiments.

I felt it was an issue that needed addressing, and I feel their voice must not be ignored, I expressed as much.

Doing so has led to an attack at times more vicious than what I've become accustomed to from the right.

It's a pathetic reaction, solidarity counts for nothing if it is predicated on people being absolutely obedient and uniform. 3/

A mass movement can only be built and succeed if it allows room for differences and adult discussions without the absolute hysteria I've witnessed over the last few days.

Adnan Hussain MP 6h
You're wrong, I have received a lot of concern surrounding this topic since taking office last year; letters, emails, phone calls, and constituents in person.

I have listened, will continue to listen, and have been actively working on quelling their fears and concerns.
Quote
sage/finn Ⓥ ॐ 🏴

if you received text messages from people saying “what will you do to protect women and girls from pakistani grooming gangs”, you’d rightly recognise that as a racist dogwhistle. but as soon as it’s trans people’s lives on the line, transphobic dog whistles are fine.

Adnan Hussain MP 1h
Dialogue? Please do point out the dialogue...

I expressed support for a concern expressed by numerous women and was met with a barage of accusations of bigotry and transphobia and just a whole lot of aggressive language.

Is this what we class as dialogue nowadays?
Quote
Thomas Willett 4h
So “identity politics” is fine only when it can be used to shield you against criticism?
This has nothing to do with your ethnicity or heritage, but your inability to face criticism & have dialogue with trans people & allies about your politics without framing it as an “attack”

Given Hussain's interconnection with Mothin Ali the recently elected deputy leader of the Greens who he just congratulated for winning despite TA attacks this could have major repercussions.

I and I expect many other posters are wary of how strong Husain's Muslim views are. What are his stances on women's rights? Palestine? Deradicalisation of mosques etc?

I also expect I strongly disagree with him about abortion rights and gay rights.

But I do think he's acquitting himself very well on this issue.

Otoh, what a world it is when it seems deeply courageous for a man to simply agree men are not women and should not be treated as such! 😡

The fracture point here is Trans stuff but there are still very disparate viewpoints even on Palestine. A few weeks ago one of the Facebook groups I was in had someone (white female) asking if anyone wanted to go to the free Palestine marches that Saturday in London and get involved in activism. One poster mentioned joining the Palestine solidarity committee (who I think organise the marches) but then was shortly after challenged by another woman (Asian origin and Muslim name) saying that they were actually "a front for mossad", and that she should instead give allyship to "authentically Palestinian' organisations that "don't compromise with Zionist structures" (What's that? A kibbutz? A building in the shape of Theodor Herzl?) like Palestinian Forum Britain and another one I can't remember now.
That maomentum twitter has posters already calling out Jeremy Corbyn as the same

Remember that Muslim activist who woke up one day and couldn't find one of his shoes, and immediately developed a theory that Mossad had stolen it to mess with his mind?

The Corbyn party is going to be full of these characters.

I've no doubt I differ a lot with Adnan Hussain, but he seems sane at least. And the advantage of an MP with a tiny majority is that he listens to his constituents.

There's always going to be a limit to the extent to which any Muslim's view will align with those in this folder, I guess, but he seems like a decent man who hasn't forgotten what the job of an MP is. Maybe that stands out more than it should these days?

Agree with all of that.

Tbf there are obvs more liberal Muslims, esp women as they have more motive to be so. And I doubt that Hussein is extreme enough to want to criminalise homosexuality etc (who knows, ultimately?)

What worries me more, is that far too many Muslims,,whether their other views are liberal or more conservative, seem to lose all reason where Palestine is concerned. I personally have huge disagreements with the Netanyahu government's handling, esp of the famine, but they seem to see Israel in a wholly negative light.

And far too many of all stripes don't agree w extremists but won't clamp down on them...

My husband is atheist and I am Catholic, so I presumed it is the same if you are of another religion, but maybe not?

I checked, it is, I think.

Zoe Williams the guardian columnist was said to have some sort of inside knowledge of this Corbyn Sultana party. She's currently on sky papers review remonstrating with a Tory PR guy on macroeconomic policy, who earlier was in fits of laughter at her defending the Sun stitch up of Zack "hypnoboobs" Polanski and how "this might make it it him look really sleazy but I met him and he's actually really really nice..."

Oh god, Woe Zilliams is wrong even when she's right, but she seems so well meaning it's hard to hold it against her and all you can do is laugh

The crisis in Your Party will echo in the TRA greens, I imagine. Especially with a staunch Muslim man as deputy, and Polanski committed to forming an alliance with YP. Those fault lines will get deeper.

I better clarify she wasn't defending the Sun stitch up, but rather, she was defending him from the sun story as he was obviously Just Being Helpful about increasing the journalist's boobs BC he's such a nice guy

Corbyn represents a mystery to me. He seems to be man devoid of any leadership qualities what-so-even, whether it be organizational, inspiration, decision making, insight, intelligence, or capacity to work. It's true I have a strong dislike for his policies, but that usually doesn't prevent me from seeing the good qualities of politicians, Sturgon, Starmer, Farage, Badendock, Johnson, even Truss. The idea of Corbyn being the nucleus of new party seems farcical, yet it appears to be happening. Clearly there is something about the man that I cannot see. What is it?

Another article

‘Your Party’ is already eating itself
Who would have thought socially conservative Muslims and north London Corbynistas

https://www.spiked-online.com/2025/09/02/your-party-is-already-eating-itself/

Corbyn's positives are he unlike some other politicians seems to be genuine. He is what he appears to be on the surface. He is also pretty approachable and friendly. Before his assent to becoming Labour leader he had friendships with other politicians with different viewpoints. That is how he got the nominations to stand. He was a solid campaigner and organiser for rallys. Above all for people on the left he seemed like a good person. He made jam, dressed plainly etc. For a while he was the centre of a large personality cult, but it was one more created by the desire of the British left for a figurehead than his own ability to seize power.

This approachability is what led to the whole Corbyn craze for a few years. However he had no real leadership qualities he could not make decisions. He was too rigid, he had strong biases. He was more interested in foreign policy than the UK. We all know the flaws.

However there is no-one on the British left capable of making this party fairly successful but him. Sultana by herself could not pull it off. Look how she decided to row in public with another MP before the party starts. At the same time Corbyn will also never be able to take the party to another level. He is too old, too flawed and too unpopular beyond the left.

I think @fromorbit 's assessment of Corbyn is fair. I don't hate the guy, in fact I joined the LP when he was leader. But leader material he never was, as I suspect even he himself knows. And the Left seem to have hit a dead-end anyway, sadly.

Thanks for the response. Very much helps clear up a blind spot I have on Corbyn.

Im not so sure about some of this. I dont think he has ever organised anything in his life. He is notiously lazy and shows up to rallies organised by others. The people who nominated him who were not from his side did so to "broaden the debate', not out of personal loyalty to him. He is notoriously unclubbable in parliament. When he became leader a large number of Labour MPs had never met him. I think youre right he seemed like a straightforward good person - jam, marrows, modest house etc compared to say Blair. I think it was a lucky moment. People were wanting to hear the simplistic policies he was offering that other politicians would be too embarassed to put forward and he had some smart advisers who helped create the personality cult and tap into the right demographics. He's also vain so he lapped up the personality cult side.

After he became leader I had a conversation with someone who had known him for many years, and I always remember this. We got onto what's a really important topic with any politician - what are his weaknesses, and what would corrupt him?

It's the kind of question that can lead you to some surprising places if you think about it. Because, let's say with Boris Johnson, the obvious surface flaws aren't necessarily the ones that undid him.

So what my friend said about Corbyn was: He's not interested in money, in fact he's notoriously bad with it. He's not interested in the trappings of power. What will corrupt him is the adulation.

I think that was very prescient. Because the crumpled suit and the allotment are the genuine Corbyn, and people responded to that, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have a streak of vanity - it's just that it's associated with the Puritan ideologue in him.

Odd to me that in the past few years we've seen a lot more of the bumbling, dithering Corbyn. The energy is coming more from Sultana, who's showing clear signs - absurdly for someone so young with so few achievements - of being high on her own hype. If anything, Corbyn seems to resent the way she's bossing him around and trying to bounce him into decisions he's unwilling to make.

Yes Id agree with that, your friend's comment was very interesting.
I think before he was leader he was one of several on the left. He really wasnt seen as leader material. He was really was an accidental leader and it surprised everyone that he became leader. But since he was in that position I think he does see himself as leader of the left. He wont appreciate Sultana outshining him in any way and he doesn't like anyone who disagrees with him!

Agree with most of this. Yes the nitty gritty of organising was done by others. He had built a bunch of allies who were cleverer and more effective than him, but he could not control them. Yet Corbyn himself spent his life as an MP attending meetings and rallys across the country. A lot of modern politicians would not do this. He was the leader of Stop the War coalition in its most successful years. He put the hours in attending tedious meetings and was a successful activist lets not underplay that. It is key for him getting the success he did have. In 2017 he was everywhere in the campaign and contrasted with May who didn't like campaigning. Faced with Boris who was an even better campaigner Corbyn lost his edge.

He did have success. Compare him with the other two leaders of the left inside Labour Dianne Abbott, and John McDonald. They are both cleverer than Corbyn, but no way could they head up a movement like developed around him. They both stood for the Labour leadership, but were dismal failures. Corbyn on the other hand in the leadership election scored by sounding way more authentic, friendly than a bunch of far more experienced and in theory better politicians than him. He did better at them in the debates etc.

At the same time he was incapable of running the movement successfully. Especially as he hated doing media. He became leader at the perfect point just as social media was great for pushing politicians through memes rather than detail. That with Ed Miliband extending the voting franchise led Corbyn to be elected leader twice.

Corbyn was lucky, no doubt, but he also had a personality and skill set which was useful right at the point it happened. The irony is his skills were fairly humdrum in politicians in earlier eras. Every Labour politician did rallies and meetings back in the day, the Blair years had marginalised those kind of situations out, even though Blair was brilliant at them. Compare Corbyn with his political mentor Tony Benn and it is very clear how average Corbyn was.

I think he appeals because he’s a sort of tabula rasa onto which people project their own beliefs. I’ve also seen him described variously as Chauncey Gardiner and a man who “agrees with the last person he spoke to”

No feminists on here. Rather, Reform members in disguise.