'Labour' Frontbenchers Snipe At Corbyn's 'Chaotic' Launch
- David Hitchen
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
A Labour minister has launched a sharp attack on Jeremy Corbyn, warning his new left‑wing party risks tearing apart Labour support. Not mentioning, oddly, that said 'support' has plummeted in the last year, with Starmer now thought to be the most unpopular PM in recent history - and that's a LOW bar...
Corbyn and Zarah Sultana have unveiled a grassroots party, attracting over 400,000 sign‑ups within just a few days.
Peter Kyle MP, pictured here yucking it up with Israeli Ambassador Tzipi Hotovely in March, as the population of Gaza starved under a food blockade by the government she represents, and pictured below with...well...anyone who'd stand still long enough, accused his former party leader of being 'obsessed with posturing', and said the launch of his new party had been 'chaotic'.
The MP for Hove and Portslade, reputedly prepared to "go to the opening of an eyelid if there was a photographer there", seemed very exercised over this 'chaotic' new party - though the Brighton area is known for its progressive thinkers, he did retain his seat comfortably last year, albeit losing thousands of votes to local independent socialist candidate, Tanushka Marah.
Early polls suggest the new party could take around 5-10% of the vote and shift the left‑wing balance in marginal seats, some of which, including those of 'Labour' frontbenchers, are VERY marginal. The Labour leadership has dismissed the new party (although frontbenchers have talked of little else on the TV round), citing past electoral failures under Corbyn. Experts warn this split may mirror the impact of the SDP in the 1980s, denting Labour while inadvertently aiding right-wing rivals.
The SDP, however, didn't have Jeremy Corbyn, and certainly could never have hoped to mobilise the staggering number of supporters that he did - and still does...
Former spindoctor to Tony Blair, Alastair Campbell, described the launch as far from “the real deal”, suggesting Corbyn lacks the infrastructure for sustained impact even though his support remains strong.
Political analysts note that in hypothetical polling a Corbyn‑led party could command about 10% support – enough to peel away voters from Labour and the Greens but unlikely to benefit the Conservatives directly.
Corbyn's message makes clear he and Sultana intend to challenge what they see as a rigged system. The party argues that the government cuts welfare yet funds war, and proposes mass redistribution of wealth, public ownership and a ban on arms exports to Israel.
Left‑wing commentators welcome the move as reclaiming lost ground, echoing support from grassroots activists who feel Labour has moved too far toward the centre. One insider highlighted the brewing frustration: “Labour is sealed inside a tomb… we are thrilled to get Zarah and her social media followers”.
Critics point to chaos at the launch - Sultana had prematurely announced details, causing confusion; the party still lacks a formal name and has not registered with the Electoral Commission. Historical parallels ring clear: in the 1980s, the Social Democratic Party split the centre‑left and may have cost Labour power, though Thatcher did seem firmly entrenched at the time.
However, this moment differs from past schisms. Disillusionment with both main parties now runs deeper than at any time since the 1930s. Recent polls show 45 per cent of voters feel neither Labour nor the Conservatives represents them. Analysts argue this could limit vote splitting by drawing in first‑time or formerly inactive voters rather than defectors solely from Labour.
A veteran campaigner noted: “There’s space on the left because people have lost faith in the system itself.” This broad malaise means the new party might unite rather than fragment left‑wing voters.
Local context matters. Reform UK leads the right‑wing challenge with growing backing. A new left force could fragment the centre, handing advantage to extremists on both flanks. Labour strategy teams argue they could regain Reform defectors by focusing on NHS funding and cost‑of‑living relief -messages that resonate with swing voters disillusioned by both extremes.
Both sides offer competing visions. The right view this split as proof of Labour weakness, while the left sees it as resistance to what it regards as centrist betrayal. Balancing both views shows a party in fracture but also one poised for renewal.
Corbyn’s return is a sign that the knives once drawn in 2015 and 2016 will likely reappear. Yet, the scale of public disenchantment could forge a broader coalition than before.
In a crowded field, British progressive politics now faces a choice: consolidate or splinter. If Corbyn’s movement endures, it could reshape the left, drawing in new activists and altering electoral dynamics -potentially revitalising a base long frustrated with the status quo. It may not merely split the left but expand it, marking a turning point for progressive change.
References: Lawless, Jill, “World News: Labour ex‑leader Jeremy Corbyn says he’s starting a new left‑wing UK party”, AP News, 24 July 2025, https://apnews.com/article/jeremy-corbyn-new-party-2025
Guardian, “No fear or favours: how Corbyn and Sultana’s party could blow up British politics”, The Guardian, 24 July 2025, https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/jul/24/no-fear-or-favours-how-corbyn-and-sultanas-party-could-blow-up-british-politics
Sky News, “Inside the messy launch of Jeremy Corbyn’s new party”, Sky News, 25 July 2025, https://news.sky.com/story/inside-the-messy-launch-of-jeremy-corbyns-new-party-13401443
Sky News, Alastair Campbell commentary, Sky News, 25 July 2025, https://news.sky.com/video/alastair-campbell-says-jeremy-corbyns-new-political-party-isnt-the-real-deal-13401431
Guardian poll coverage of Reform voters, The Guardian, 25 July 2025, https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/jul/25/reform-voters-lured-labour-extra-focus-nhs-cost-of-living-poll
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