Zarah Sultana: ‘Baseless attacks on my character are politically-motivated’

Zarah Sultana said she has been on the receiving end of “baseless attacks” that are “politically-motivated” amid the row over a new membership system that has engulfed her and Jeremy Corbyn’s fledgling party.

In a statement posted to the Coventry South MP’s X page on Friday evening, Ms Sultana said she has “instructed specialist defamation lawyers” after she was “the subject of a number of false and defamatory statements”.

“Over the last 24 hours, a number of false and defamatory statements have been published about me concerning the launch of Your Party’s membership portal,” she said.

“The portal was properly launched in accordance with the party’s roadmap. At no point was members’ data misused or put at risk.

“All funds received from members were ringfenced and protected in the appropriate manner.”

She continued: “These baseless attacks on my character are politically-motivated and I intend to hold to account those responsible for making them.

“To that end, I have this evening instructed specialist defamation lawyers. To avoid prejudicing or complicating any future legal process, I will not be making any further comment about this matter at this time.”

Ms Sultana’s statement comes after she previously said she had been subjected to a “sexist boys’ club” amid the row over the membership system.

On Thursday morning, an invite went out to supporters of the outfit, so far described as “Your Party” in its campaign material, inviting them to officially sign up and give it financial backing.

But Mr Corbyn described this as an “unauthorised email” and warned people in a statement posted on social media not to sign up via the link.

The former Labour leader and Independent MP for Islington North also said “legal advice is being taken” over the message, which featured the names of four other Independent MPs who have set up an ad-hoc parliamentary group with Mr Corbyn.

They are Ayoub Khan, Adnan Hussain, Iqbal Mohammed and Shockat Adam.

Any direct debits should be “immediately cancelled”, Mr Corbyn’s message said.

In turn, Ms Sultana said: “After being sidelined by the MPs named in today’s statement and effectively frozen out of the official accounts, I took the step of launching a membership portal so that supporters could continue to engage and organise.”

Despite Mr Corbyn’s warning, she insisted supporters of Your Party should “sign up now” as the portal was a “safe, secure, legitimate” means of becoming a member of the party.

Ms Sultana added: “My sole motivation has been to safeguard the grassroots involvement that is essential in building this party.

“Unfortunately I have been subjected to what can only be described as a sexist boys’ club: I have been treated appallingly and excluded completely.”

Later on Thursday, the party said it had reported itself to the UK’s data protection watchdog over the morning email, claiming that a “false membership system has been unilaterally launched”.

It said data had been collected and payments taken and that the data controller had flagged the matter with the Information Commissioner’s Office, citing its “responsibilities to our supporters and duties under the law”.

The party said the developments were a “blow for everyone who has put their hope in a real alternative” and that Ms Sultana “has not been excluded from any discussions”.

The row over whether the membership portal is legitimate is the latest in a series of disagreements between the two MPs over the direction of the party, which is yet to hold an annual conference or decide on an official name.

Earlier this year, Ms Sultana announced she would be setting up the new left-wing political party with Mr Corbyn, before he appeared ready to confirm this was the case.

Ms Sultana has also reportedly clashed with Independent MP for Blackburn Mr Hussain, over their different views on trans rights.

The party had begun to build momentum with more than 750,000 supporters signed up since its launch earlier this year under the placeholder name of Your Party, according to Ms Sultana.

But opponents on Thursday also highlighted a Companies House listing that showed Mr Corbyn ceased to be a person with significant control of Your Party UK Ltd on September 15.

It is understood that this is because the former Labour leader fell below the threshold as other Independent MPs became directors.

Meanwhile, a group of left-wing activists calling themselves Our Party has urged the six MPs to step aside and hand the founding of the new party over to its members.

In an open letter, the group called for the appointment of a “handover committee” independent of the MPs to establish a membership system and oversee the election of a “founding stewards committee” that will formally set up the new party.

They said: “800,000 people had faith that something could be different.

“If these six MPs want to be worthy of that faith, it’s time to hand over the reins of this founding process to the party’s supporters.

“This isn’t just about you.

“It’s about all of us.”

Ms Sultana said she supported Our Party’s call, saying it was “what I’ve been fighting for from the start”.