Jeremy Corbyn launches new UK political party

Former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn has announced the launch of a new political party in the UK, vowing to challenge what he described as a “rigged system.”

Corbyn led Labour from 2015 to 2020, but was expelled from the party in 2024 after running as an independent in his Islington North constituency. He had already been suspended over his response to allegations of anti-Semitism within Labour, which he denied, calling the claims politically motivated. His supporters saw it as a smear campaign tied to his anti-austerity and anti-war views.

In a statement on X on Thursday, he declared it was “time to build new kind of political party – one that belongs to you,” emphasizing the party’s commitment to tackling inequality.

The party is expected to include other left-wing figures suspended or expelled by Labour, particularly Zarah Sultana, the MP for Coventry South, who was reprimanded in 2024 after voting to lift the cap on child benefits – a policy widely criticized by anti-poverty campaigners. A website, “yourparty.uk,” has been launched, though Sultana clarified that the party is “not called Your Party.”

Corbyn and Sultana said 4.5 million children are living in poverty in the UK and criticized a “rigged system” where corporations profit from rising bills while “billions” are set aside for war.

“We cannot accept these injustices – and neither should you,” the statement reads, going on to advocate “mass redistribution of wealth and power” by taxing the wealthiest.

Corbyn has clashed frequently with Labour’s current leadership over military support for Israel and Ukraine.

The UK has been one of the most vocal supporters of Kiev’s war effort. Corbyn has repeatedly called for a diplomatic solution and questioned whether the UK is “at war” with Russia.

Moscow perceives the Ukraine conflict as a Western proxy war against Russia. The Kremlin has consistently denounced Western arms deliveries to Kiev, saying that they only prolong the conflict without changing its outcome. It has also accused the EU and UK of impeding ongoing peace efforts and criticized their expanded defense budgets, warning it could precipitate a broader conflict in Europe.