Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana’s newly formed political movement currently operating under the working title Your Party, is already facing internal tensions over transgender rights, with two of its leading figures clashing publicly on the issue.
Adnan Hussain, one of six MPs expected to formally join the new party, has sparked controversy after stating that trans women are not biologically women. His remarks drew immediate pushback from fellow co-founder Zarah Sultana, who reiterated her strong support for transgender rights and said bigotry has no place in the movement.
Hussain, the MP for Blackburn, is currently part of the Independent Alliance of MPs alongside Corbyn, Sultana, and three others. All six were elected on pro-Gaza platforms in the recent general election. The group plans to dissolve into Your Party after a founding conference scheduled for the autumn.
It all started last Friday, Hussain was asked on social media about Your Party’s stance on LGBT+ issues and single-sex spaces. He responded on X (formerly Twitter) that “Women’s rights and safe spaces should not be encroached upon. Safe third spaces should be an alternative option.”
Just hours later, Sultana posted a pointed response that says, “I’ve always stood with the trans community, and I always will. The same forces targeting migrants and Muslims are attacking LGBTQ+ people, especially trans people. Our safety is in solidarity.That’s the new party we’re building. Bigotry has no place in it.”
Although Jeremy Corbyn himself has previously expressed strong support for trans rights, stating at a recent party event in Oldham that “trans rights are human rights.” His position places him closer to Sultana than to Hussain on the matter, further exposing ideological differences within the leadership.
Despite facing backlash online, Hussain stood by his comments over the weekend. Responding to transgender journalist India Willoughby, who accused him of “trans hate,” he replied, “There was no hatred expressed, India, it’s a conversation that needs to be had, agreeing with women on their need for spaces exclusive to them is not an expression of hatred. I also stated the need for safe spaces for trans people and that’s not hatred.”
When asked directly whether he believes trans women are women, Hussain replied; “They’re not biologically women, hence trans-women.”
He also endorsed maintaining single-sex toilets based on biological sex, stating,“We’re talking about toilets. Most sane people want to be segregated in a toilet.
Despite these internal disagreements, Your Party has attracted significant attention. More than 800,000 people have reportedly signed up to its mailing list, and early polling suggests that one in five voters could consider supporting the new political force in a future general election.
However, the first few weeks of the party’s existence have not been smooth. Beyond the trans rights debate, tensions have surfaced between Corbyn and Sultana on other key issues.
In July, Sultana officially announced her departure from Labour and the co-founding of a new party with Corbyn. But the former Labour leader remained silent for 24 hours and only confirmed that “discussions were ongoing.”
More recently, Sultana criticised Corbyn’s decision, during his time as Labour leader, to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism. She argued that he had capitulated by endorsing a definition that includes a clause cautioning against describing Israel’s existence as a racist endeavour.
She added that “The smears won’t work this time. I say it loudly and proudly: I’m an anti-Zionist. Print that.”
When a left-wing activist later asked Corbyn on camera if he identifies as anti-Zionist, he declined to respond. He later appeared to criticise Sultana’s remarks, saying “It wasn’t really necessary” for her to reopen the issue.
As Your Party prepares for its official launch this autumn, these early disputes suggest deeper ideological fault lines that could challenge its unity and direction.
