The British left after Gaza: Could a new Corbyn-led party reshape UK politics?

A potential new political party, reportedly co-led by former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and ex-Labour MP Zarah Sultana, has reignited debate over the future of the UK’s fractured left.

While details remain unclear, the prospect of a breakaway movement has sparked interest among disillusioned voters, particularly in the wake of Labour’s support for Israel during its war on Gaza.

As pressure grows over Britain’s foreign policy and Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s waning popularity, one year after Labour’s electoral victory in July 2024, the idea of a new progressive alternative is once again tabled. The question now is whether it can move beyond symbolic resistance under Corbyn and Sultana.

“The democratic foundations of a new kind of political party will soon take shape. Discussions are ongoing - and I am excited to work alongside all communities to fight for the future people deserve,” Corbyn said in a statement in early July.

Corbyn, a long-standing Labour politician and MP since 1983, is known for advocating left-wing ideals and social justice causes, including opposition to South African apartheid and the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

He led the Labour Party from 2015 to 2020, stepping down after a crushing defeat to Boris Johnson’s Conservatives in the 2019 general election, in which Brexit dominated discourse.

He was expelled from Labour in 2024 and announced his decision to stand as an independent candidate in his long-held Islington North seat.

Meanwhile, Zarah Sultana stood down from Labour in July and has been consistently opposed to the UK’s support for Israel throughout its assault on Gaza.

In the Middle East, Corbyn’s stance diverges sharply from the current Labour leadership. He has consistently opposed UK support for Israel, including arms sales and trade ties, and has supported Palestinian rights.

He also denounced British arms sales to Saudi Arabia during its bombing campaign in the Yemen war from March 2015.

While he was against Western military interventions, critics also accused Corbyn of being soft on Russia and Iran’s regional power plays, while he also opposed airstrikes against Bashar Al-Assad’s regime in Syria and the training of rebel groups, which were tabled in the UK parliament after the Assad regime used chemical weapons in civilian areas in 2013 and later.

The practicalities of a Corbyn-Sultana-led party

For many, especially those disillusioned with Labour’s position on domestic issues and Gaza, the idea of a Corbyn-led movement has gained traction.

According to YouGov, 18% of Britons say they’re likely to consider voting for the party, although that’s less than the major parties: 30% for Labour, 28% each for the Lib Dems, Reform UK and Greens, and 24% for the Conservatives.

Moreover, per a poll by Find Out Now, both Labour and a Corbyn-Sultana-led party are tied at 15% each, signalling the latter may significantly dent the incumbent government’s support.

There are also questions over whether this early enthusiasm will translate into long-term popularity.

“It’s easy to get support in principle for something new - people project their hopes onto a hypothetical party. But that kind of support has very little statistical value. The real challenge is turning that abstract appeal into actual electoral presence,” said Joe Twyman, co-founder of polling consultancy Deltapoll and former Head of Political and Social Research at YouGov, in an interview with The New Arab.

Moreover, a Corbyn-Sultana-led party would face competition from other left-leaning forces, most notably the Green Party, which is expected to hold a leadership election soon, with deputy leader Zack Polanski the favourite to win.

However, Polanksi suggested he’d be open to a left-wing alliance with a potential Corbyn-led party, based on shared values.

What is clear, at least for now, is that the prospective party reflects mounting frustration with Labour under Starmer - seen by many on the left as having shifted away from traditional Labour values. The UK’s position on Israel and Palestine is seen as a fundamental symbol of that perceived betrayal.

“Amidst all the disillusionment on the left with the Starmer government, the Gaza war stands out as the fundamental reason why people are deserting Labour and looking for alternatives, whether the Green Party or a new left party led by Corbyn and/or Sultana,” Martin Shaw, Research Professor at the Institut Barcelona d’Estudis Internacionals (IBEI) and Emeritus Professor of International Relations at the University of Sussex, told The New Arab.

“The importance of Gaza was clear even at the general election a year ago, when Labour lost seats to independent pro-Palestinian candidates - and it is now even more crucial.”

Starmer has also come under pressure over domestic economic policies, including proposals to cut welfare spending and a refusal to raise taxes on the ultra-rich. This has further alienated the party’s traditional left, who favour greater public investment and wealth redistribution, and view Starmer’s leadership as too right-wing.

On foreign policy, Starmer’s reluctance to challenge the UK’s ties with Israel has provoked much criticism.

Despite Foreign Secretary David Lammy announcing the suspension of 9% of the UK’s arms export licences to Israel in September 2024, existing trade ties remain intact, and the government has rejected calls for broader sanctions.

Challenging Labour's position on Gaza

On 3 July, the UK High Court refused to block the export of British-made F-35 fighter jet parts - components which make up around 15% of the jets used in Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, saying it is a matter for the government not for the court.

That was despite the fact that these exports very likely violate the UK’s own arms export control laws, namely that it would be unlawful to license arms if there’s even a risk they may be used in human rights violations.

The government also designated Palestine Action a terrorist organisation after its activists targeted refuelling aircraft at RAF Brize Norton - a key UK airbase that dispatches flights to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, which has supported Israeli operations, including reconnaissance flights over Gaza and during the recent escalation with Iran.

Yet, that decision was taken by many as an effort to crack down on Palestinian activism.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy has also met with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, despite the International Criminal Court having issued arrest warrants for Israeli ministers such as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over war crimes in Gaza.

Lammy even met with Netanyahu after ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan had requested a warrant for his arrest.

Naturally, this has further alienated many voters on the left from Labour and has clearly created a potential base for the new party.

But there are still practical issues for forming a party, including gaining enough members, supporters and resources to make it an impactful political force.

“There’s clearly a cohort on the left of Labour - more redistributionist, pro-Palestinian, sceptical of NATO. But parties like George Galloway’s have repeatedly tried to court them and failed. In theory, you could unite these groups, but in practice, it’s proven very difficult,” Twyman added.

“The first hurdle is forming a viable, united party - and that’s a significant one. Then comes building infrastructure: funding, organisation, boots on the ground. There’s a big difference between people liking the idea of a party and that party actually gaining support.”

Filling a political vacuum?

At present, the biggest threat to the political status quo comes not from the left but from the populist right. Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, is currently leading the polls, as Farage is campaigning on a nationalist platform centred around migration.

As Labour leader, Corbyn said immigration numbers are “not high”, suggesting his prospective party might struggle to sway Reform voters whose main concern is migration, and would instead chip away at Labour’s support base.

As for Palestine, Farage has also taken a staunchly pro-Israel stance. In a June interview, he said he opposes suspending UK arms sales to Israel and does not believe the war on Gaza constitutes genocide.

He also endorsed the airstrikes ordered by former US President Donald Trump against Iran in June, signalling alignment with a more hawkish, pro-Israel foreign policy reminiscent of the Trump administration.

That alone suggests that Gaza alone may not be a defining issue in a future UK election, as issues like the economy and immigration would likely dominate.

For now, these challenges could still threaten Starmer’s already fragile position, having alienated both the left on economic and foreign policy issues, and the right for being perceived as weak on migration. Should a Corbyn-Sultana-led party come to fruition, it may very well threaten to take votes from Labour.

“I predict that if the Greens and the new party can get their combined act together, they can make a real difference, maybe making some Labour MPs realise how badly they have let themselves and their supporters down by backing the government over this,” said Dr Shaw.

Ultimately, what the future holds for a Corbyn-Sultana party and the broader UK political landscape remains to be seen. Much can change before the next general election, due to be held by 2029 at the latest.

For now, what’s clear is that frustration with Starmer’s Labour, especially over Gaza, has re-energised efforts to forge a new left-wing alternative to the current established parties.

Jonathan Fenton-Harvey is a journalist and researcher who focuses on conflict, geopolitics, and humanitarian issues in the Middle East and North Africa.

Follow him on Twitter: @jfentonharvey