Your Party Members Say Jeremy Corbyn Cannot Run For Leader

Jeremy Corbyn has suffered a major blow after his new party’s rank-and-file rejected his bid to become its leader.

Members of the left-wing Your Party voted narrowly against having a single elected leader, opting instead for a collective model that put a committee of activists in charge.

Corbyn had previously said he backed the “sole leader” model and would stand for the position.

The collective model was supported by former Labour MP Zarah Sultana, who is engaged in a bitter power struggle with Corbyn and his supporters.

She said: Together, we’re building a new socialist party – radically democratic and powered by a mass movement. This party will be led by its members, not MPs.”

A Your Party spokesperson said the vote “shows that we really are doing politics differently: from the bottom up, not the top down”.

The new party’s inaugural conference in Liverpool has highlighted the deep splits within the organisation even before it is properly up and running.

Sultana, who sits as an independent MP after losing the Labour whip last year, boycotted the first day of the conference following the expulsion of a number of members said to also belong to the Socialist Workers Party.

She claimed they were the victims of a “witch hunt” by Corbyn supporters.

The Coventry South MP is still due to give a speech in the main conference hall on Sunday afternoon as scheduled.

Corbyn will close the conference by announcing the result of a ballot on the new party’s formal name, with members choosing between Your Party, Our Party, Popular Alliance and For The Many.