Politician from POK joins hands with leftist Corbyn to float party in UK
Four of the rebels have since returned to Labour, but Sultana and former shadow chancellor John McDonnell remain independents.In a statement on social media on Thursday, Sultana said, "Westminster is broken, but the real crisis is deeper," warning that the "two-party system offers nothing but managed decline and broken promises.""A year ago, I was suspended by the Labour Party for voting to abolish the two-child benefit cap and lift 400,000 children out of poverty," she added."I'd do it again. I voted against scrapping winter fuel payments for pensioners. I'd do it again."Referring to the government's welfare bill that passed this week, she said, "Now, the government wants to make disabled people suffer; they just can't decide how much."UK GOVT IS AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT IN GENOCIDE IN GAZA: SULTANAIn a social media post, the former Labour MP accused the UK government of being "an active participant in genocide" in Gaza and cited rising poverty, harsh welfare policies, and the soaring cost of living as key reasons behind launching her new political party."Labour has completely failed to improve people's lives. And across the political establishment, from Farage to Starmer, they smear people of conscience by trying to stop a genocide in Gaza as terrorists. But the truth is clear: this government is an active participant in genocide. And the British people oppose it," Sultana, who is now Independent Coventry South MP, accused in the post."We're not an island of strangers," she said, referencing a speech given by the UK Prime Minister in May about immigration, which he has since said he regrets. And she says at the next election, "the choice will be stark: socialism or barbarism," BBC reported.advertisementAccording to a report in the Daily Mail, the name of the new party has not been decided yet, with options mooted including "Real Change" and "Peace and Justice Project".Corbyn, who led the Labour Party between 2015 and 2020, has been hinting strongly that he wants to form a new party — with polls suggesting it could attract 10% of the left-wing vote and inflict major damage on Labour, The Daily Mail reported.In an interview on Wednesday, the 76-year-old claimed there was a "thirst" among voters "for an alternative view to be put".Since his suspension from Labour Party in 2020 for minimising the party's anti-Semitism issues during his leadership, Corbyn has served as the independent MP for Islington North.He was expelled last year but retained his seat in the general election.SULTANA HAS ALWAYS TAKEN A VERY DIFFERENT VIEW FROM PARTY: COOPERResponding to the former Labour MP's announcement, UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said Sultana "has always taken a very different view to most people in the government on a lot of different things, and that's for her to do so," The Independent reported.Reacting to Sultana's announcement, John McDonnell posted on social media, "I am dreadfully sorry to lose Zarah from the Labour Party. The people running Labour at the moment need to ask themselves why a young, articulate, talented, extremely dedicated socialist feels she now has no home in the Labour Party and has to leave."advertisementAccording to the BBC report, McDonnell might not be joining the new party.- Ends
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