Zarah Sultana boycotts first day of Your Party conference over ‘witch hunt’ expulsions

Zarah Sultana has boycotted day one of the Your Party Conference over the expulsion of members of left-wing groups.

Ms Sultana co-founded Your Party with Jeremy Corbyn in July, but the new movement has been marred with infighting from the outset.

There was a row on the eve of conference after it emerged members of the Socialist Workers Party (SWP) had been expelled from Your Party.

Your Party rules do not permit dual membership, but a spokesperson for Ms Sultana branded this a “witch hunt” and said she won’t be returning until her speech tomorrow.

She said: “Zarah met members outside the conference and condemned the recent expulsions. This witch hunt is indefensible. We must build a party that welcomes all socialists. She will not be entering the conference hall today.”

Members of the SWP argue dual membership should be allowed as the SWP doesn’t field election candidates.

Members of the left-wing organisation Counterfire have also been banned from conference, Sky News has learned.

Cllr Michael Lavalette, who helped set up Your Party’s Preston branch, told Sky News earlier this morning that he was not allowed to enter the venue today.

He said he was told there is intelligence Counterfire was going to be disruptive, which “will be interesting to see because I’ve never said anything disruptive, I’ve been encouraging people to come”.

Ms Sultana has been advocating for what she calles “maximum member democracy” and believes anyone who is a socialist should be allowed in Your Party.

Her allies see the expulsions as an attempt to purge those supportive of her.

Mr Corbyn declined to say Ms Sultana is a friend as supporters of the new grouping gathered in Liverpool.

Speaking to Sky News on the eve of the conference, Mr Corbyn acknowledged “stresses and strains” in the set-up of the party but said it had become “a lot better in the last few days and weeks and we’re going to get through this weekend”.

The former Labour leader has publicly clashed with Ms Sultana, the MP for Coventry South, over the launch and structure of the new party.

Asked if they were friends, Mr Corbyn said they were “colleagues in parliament, and we obviously communicate and so on”.

The pair appeared at separate events on the eve of the party’s inaugural gathering.

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