Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has confirmed he is launching a new political party, promising to “build a democratic movement that can take on the rich and powerful”. The new venture has the potential to shake-up the political landscape, with Labour and the Greens appearing to be the most at risk of losing votes. Polling suggests the new party could pick up 10% of the vote, potentially taking three points off Labour’s vote share and extending Reform UK’s lead in the polls by the same margin. The party is expected to fight May’s local elections ahead of the next general election, which is likely to take place in four years’ time. The four pro-Gaza MPs who formed an independent alliance with Corbyn after the general election are expected to make up the core of the new party, along with former Labour MP Zarah Sultana. Corbyn has suggested he will cooperate with the Green Party, but whether they will agree a formal deal remains to be seen. The Green Party leadership candidate Zack Polanski has said he will “work with anyone who wants to take on Reform and this government”, while his rival, Green MP Adrian Ramsay, warned his party must not become “a Jeremy Corbyn support act” and maintain its “distinct” identity and broad appeal beyond the traditional left. Rob Ford, a professor of political science at the University of Manchester, says a Corbyn-led party is a big threat to the Greens, as Corbyn has a level of name recognition that no one in the Green Party can match. Another poll found that while 18% say they are open to voting for a new left-wing party led by Corbyn, just 9% of these would not consider voting for any of the five existing significant national parties. The impact of the new party will not be limited by how many MPs it manages to secure, as it claims more than 200,000 people have already signed up to get involved in less than 24 hours. The party’s long-term goal is to win elections and enter office, but it also aims to have a huge outside influence on the political debate in the country.
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