Over a thousand people attended the first official Your Party meeting in Blackburn yesterday with Jeremy Corbyn pledging to form a diverse, working-class coalition aiming to challenge the political establishment.
The event for the new political movement, spearheaded by Zarah Sultana MP and Jeremy Corbyn, was chaired by Adnan Hussain MP, and had a strong focus on domestic struggles and Palestinian solidarity, though tensions over Zionism and leadership linger.
The meeting marked the party’s debut in the North West and Adnan Hussain opened with reflections on his parents’ migration to Britain and how their struggles shaped his political outlook.
He framed Your Party as a new grassroots movement designed to speak to ordinary people left behind by both major parties.
“Today, as I’ve said, I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing Blackburn, Lancashire, the North West, to a new political movement,” Hussain told the audience.
He continued: “It stands, as I’ve already said, not for the elite, not for the wealthy, but for you, the working class.”
Hussain stressed that the party is built on principles rather than personalities. Yet he drew loud applause when he declared: “Imagine a United Kingdom with Jeremy Corbyn as the Prime Minister.”
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He then added: “It’s not about the individual. It’s about his vision. It’s about what he stands for. It’s about what he is bringing to the table.”
Birmingham MP Ayoub Khan, who has aligned with Your Party, praised the turnout and diversity. “Nothing frightens politicians more than seeing a movement that is as large and as diverse as this one, Your Party,” he said.
Attendees were told: “Look around you, this is the UK,” highlighting the party’s effort to present itself as representative of the nation.
The majority of the crowd were non-Muslim, spanning all ages, genders and faiths. Organisers repeatedly highlighted this as a strength of the movement.
Professor Marion Roberts, from Jewish Voice for Labour, addressed issues surrounding antisemitism and Zionism. Her remarks were widely seen as responding to past controversies surrounding Corbyn’s time in Labour.
Roberts told the audience: “Members of the bloc have and will have different electoral and political allegiances.”
She continued stating “the group I belong to, JVL, was set up to support Jeremy once he became leader and to counter the false accusations of antisemitism which were intended to protect Israel from criticism.”
As Jeremy Corbyn took the stage, chants of “Free Palestine” were heard. The slogans later escalated to: “Death, death to the IDF” from sections of the crowd, reflecting how Palestine remained a central theme throughout the meeting.
Corbyn addressed domestic struggles such as housing, poverty, homelessness and tuition fees. He also linked these challenges to Britain’s role in foreign wars and global inequality.
On Palestine, he declared: “We are always coming up against the Israeli expansionism led by the Zionist ideology, that they have a right to occupy Gaza and the West Bank.”
Corbyn also set out the party’s ethos. “We want this party to be open. We want it to be inclusive. We want it to be democratic and above all community and grassroots-based.”
Your Party’s stance on anti-Zionism
The conference came against a backdrop of growing scrutiny over Corbyn’s stance on Zionism. This week, footage circulated of him refusing to answer whether he was anti-Zionist.
Zarah Sultana previously openly declared that she was anti-Zionist, distinguishing her position from Corbyn’s public hesitation.
Despite the weighty subjects raised, no public questions were taken during the conference to the disappointment of critics who noted this avoided pressing debate on difficult and controversial issues.
At the close of the event, 5Pillars approached and asked Adnan Hussain whether members of the party would be scrutinised for their positions on Zionism.
He responded: “Nobody should be penalised against a genocide, the killing of innocent children. They must be protected and anyone who is opposed to that must never be penalised.”
The Blackburn conference showcased enthusiasm and grassroots energy, but it also highlighted lingering tensions over Zionism, leadership, and whether Your Party can truly distinguish itself from Labour.
