Contradictory claims of a “factional witch hunt” have dominated this first day (29 November) of Your Party’s inaugural conference, with some attendees being escorted out of the conference hall.
Zarah Sultana has boycotted the main hall and described expulsions at the hands of party officials as “indefensible”. Today, Councillor James Giles, who chaired Zarah Sultana’s rally on Friday night and previously worked for George Galloway, was told that he would not be permitted to enter the conference area. It was the most high-profile in a series of evictions from the main venue over the course of the day. Other evictions were linked to individuals’ alleged dual membership of other parties, such as the Socialist Workers Party.
Sultana came to the entrance of the conference to hold a meet-and-greet with members this afternoon, but chose not to enter, apparently in protest at the events of the morning. Her spokesperson 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.”
Sultana will speak on Sunday after the party constitution has been voted on. Sources close to Sultana have noted that her speech is timed for after the constitution is voted on and suggested that decision is deliberate. However, Your Party sources confirmed that the plan was always for the party’s constitution to be voted on by members on Saturday, with Sultana speaking on Sunday alongside fellow Your Party MPs, Ayoub Khan and Shockat Adam.
It was also claimed that Michael Lavalette, an independent councillor and former member of the Socialist Workers Party, was denied entrance to the conference venue, but a Your Party source said after conversations with Lavelette he was allowed to attend. However, two activists for Stand Up To Racism, a group that has been linked to the SWP, were asked to leave the hall because of suspected dual membership. A Your Party source said the decisions were based on the party rule book rather than any alleged factional motivations.
Nevertheless, James Giles, who has been helping to run what he describes as a “grassroots” campaign for member democracy in the party, told journalists: “There is clearly a fractional which hunt going on here which is being done without members consent.” Giles also claimed that a WhatsApp group called “Fighting For Maximum Member Democracy” now has 1,000 members.
Jeremy Corbyn meanwhile told journalists this morning: “I’m not running a witch hunt against anybody.” Your Party officials said individuals have been expelled for holding membership of other political parties, including the Socialist Workers Party. Though the SWP is not registered with the Electoral Commission, its name has been taken as evidence enough that membership breaks the rules.
A spokesperson for Your Party said: “Members of another national political party signed up to Your Party in contravention of clearly stated membership rules – and these rules were enforced.” They added: “We’re focused on hosting a democratic founding conference with thousands of members coming together to debate and decide the big issues. This is politics outside the Westminster mould: from the ground up, not the top down.”
There is a chance that Your Party’s finalised constitution will allow dual membership depending on the outcome of an amendment vote on that question. It has been pointed out by critics of the so-called “witch hunt” that expulsions mean potential dual members will not be able to vote in favour of that amendment to the constitution. Corbyn gave a speech to conference delegates this morning in which he warned against “division and disunity” and alluded to “mistakes” in the founding of new parties.
He and Sultana also attended separate events on Friday evening. While Sultana held a rally, Corbyn participated in a poetry reading with former Unite general secretary Len McCluskey. In the opening minutes of Corbyn’s event, three activists from the Revolutionary Communist Group were forcibly removed after they began heckling. McCluskey shouted “Sabotage, MI5!” as they left. Corbyn told conference delegates this morning that he and Sultana had both sent messages of support to each other’s events and stressed the importance of party unity.
This is the same venue as the Labour Party used for its conference in late September. While the hall was almost full for Corbyn’s speech this morning, the exhibition space is noticeably less crowded than it was two months ago, when lobbyists and interest groups flocked to attend. The conference will continue tomorrow.
[Further reading: Your Party is not dead yet]
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