23,000 sign up for Corbyn/Sultana new party in Wales

Martin Shipton

More than 23,000 people in Wales have signed up as supporters of the new left wing party being set up by Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana.

An update statement released on social media by former Cynon Valley MP Beth Winter and Mark Serwotka, the ex-general secretary of the PCS union said: “It is clear that there is an appetite for change in every nation and region across the UK, and the numbers who have signed up to build a real alternative to poverty, inequality, and war are staggering – a real wow factor. “Here in Wales, over 23,000 have signed up, showing the strength and breadth of feeling across our communities for a new kind of political party, one that is our party, your party, not the party of millionaires and billionaires. “Beth Winter and Mark Serwotka will be working with others across Wales – people within our communities, trade unions, social movements, campaigns, and many more to ensure that the party belongs to you.

“Over the coming weeks, they will be looking to hear your voice about how your party should work in our country. It will be for the people of Wales to determine the priorities and programme for Wales.

“So what can you do right now in Wales? First, help us spread the word. Invite your friends, neighbours and colleagues to sign up at yourparty.uk. Second, you can donate on the Your Party website to help us spread the word and help build a real alternative based on equality, democracy, and peace.

“For too long, people have been denied a real political choice. Not any more.”

Across the UK more than 500,000 have signed up for the as yet unnamed party, so 23,000 responses from Wales is roughly equivalent to a population share.

Senedd election

While Ms Winter and Mr Serwotka, who are the faces of the new party in Wales, haven’t stated formally that it will be fielding candidates in next May’s Senedd election, the expectation is that this will happen.

In a recent interview on BBC Radio Wales’ Breakfast programme, Mr Serwotka was asked what his role was in the new party.

He said: “I’ve been involved in discussions that have been taking place for a while now, in order to ensure that any such party is launched on a democratic basis, delivers full autonomy to the regions and the nations of the UK, and is inclusive.

“The fact that in under 24 hours 180,000 people signed up to say that they want to be a part of this party is an incredibly exciting moment in British politics. What I’ve signed up for is to be part of the launch of that, and I’m in discussion in Wales with Beth and many other activists right across our country about what that means for us, how in Wales we can ensure that the politics of being told what we’re getting from London can be a thing of the past, and how we can create something that deals with the desperate needs of our communities in Wales and across the UK, and is an alternative to the appallingly divisive politics of Reform, which is taking root in our communities and which heralds a really dangerous moment for our country.”

Candidates

Asked whether the intention would be to field a full slate of candidates at the Senedd election, and whether he might be one of them, Mr Serwotka said: “What I think we’re all determined to do is avoid the mistakes establishment parties make, which is one or two high profile individuals tell people what they’re getting and expect them to jump on board. This will be rooted in a very different way.

“Decisions as to whether candidates will stand for the Senedd will be made in Wales, listening to our grassroots communities, making decisions on how best can we offer hope, deal with the threat of Reform and build something that is to last.

“It’s a strength that these decisions haven’t been made. It would be a mistake to come on the radio today and say everything’s decided. Instead, what we offer, whether you live in north, south, east or west Wales, is a chance to get involved with something before it’s founded, before it’s had its first conference, to ensure what we shape can offer an alternative to attacks on the poor, to becoming an international pariah that looks the other way when there’s a genocide taking place in Gaza, that seeks to rebuild our NHS and our public services, believes in strong trade unions and offers hope rather than the desperation that I think so many of us encounter every day.”

Reform

Pressed on whether the party would stand candidates in the Senedd election, Mr Serwotka, who was brought up in Aberdare, said: “What we have to remember is that there’s a lot of damage to be undone. Clearly the Senedd election next year is very important, and my own view is it’s really important that we are in a position where candidates from Wales can be decided to combat the threat that is Reform in the Senedd election. But that isn’t down to me and it isn’t down to Beth, it’s down to whether or not we can build a movement based on all these things that are already happening – grassroots campaigns. People are already fighting against cuts in councils, people who are groups of Independent councillors, people who want something very different, coming together and ensuring it’s democratic and not top down.

“My vision is that that does lead to candidates standing for the Senedd, and it does lead to a huge impact in the next UK-wide general election. But we’ve got to get this right.

“What’s undeniable is that after 14 catastrophic years of the Tories, after two decades of Welsh Labour ruling in our country, we are seeing the rise of a party in Wales that is rooted in discrimination, division and offers nothing for our working class communities.”

Cuts

He said Labour’s behaviour in government was enabling Reform by imposing cuts: “We elected Labour MPs and they’ve been letting down communities across Wales. The first starting point surely has to be, we can’t say to our people UK Labour’s terrible, Welsh Labour’s good.

“In fact, Welsh Labour’s record is far from good, and it seems to me that if you want to challenge the rise of Reform in the Rhondda valley or the Cynon Valley or anywhere else, you’re not going to do it by saying Labour is the answer. You’re only going to do it by offering a very different alternative.”