Zarah Sultana says she has consulted defamation lawyers as the row that has engulfed the fledgling political party she created with Jeremy Corbyn escalates.
Hours after diplomatic efforts behind the scenes got underway in a bid to ease tensions within Your Party, Ms Sultana said she had been on the receiving end of “baseless attacks” that were “politically-motivated”.
And in a statement posted on X, she said she had “instructed specialist defamation lawyers” after she was “the subject of a number of false and defamatory statements”.
On Friday, the Independent revealed that some in the party were still pushing ahead with plans for a party conference in November, even as the row over membership ignited.
In her statement, Ms Sultana said: “Over the last 24 hours, a number of false and defamatory statements have been published about me concerning the launch of Your Party’s membership portal.
“The portal was properly launched in accordance with the party’s roadmap. At no point was members’ data misused or put at risk.
“All funds received from members were ringfenced and protected in the appropriate manner.”
She continued: “These baseless attacks on my character are politically-motivated and I intend to hold to account those responsible for making them.
“To that end, I have this evening instructed specialist defamation lawyers. To avoid prejudicing or complicating any future legal process, I will not be making any further comment about this matter at this time.”
Earlier this week, Ms Sultana complained she had been subjected to a “sexist boys’ club” amid the row over the membership system. On Thursday morning, supporters were invited to officially sign up and give the party financial backing.
But Mr Corbyn described this as an “unauthorised email” and just hours later warned people in a statement posted on social media not to sign up via the link.
The former Labour leader and Independent MP for Islington North added that “legal advice is being taken” over the message, which featured the names of four other Independent MPs who have set up an ad-hoc parliamentary group with Mr Corbyn.
Any direct debits should be “immediately cancelled”, Mr Corbyn’s message said.
Ms Sultana hit back, saying: “After being sidelined by the MPs named in today’s statement and effectively frozen out of the official accounts, I took the step of launching a membership portal so that supporters could continue to engage and organise.”
She insisted supporters of Your Party should “sign up now” as the portal was “safe, secure, legitimate”.
Ms Sultana added: “My sole motivation has been to safeguard the grassroots involvement that is essential in building this party.
“Unfortunately, I have been subjected to what can only be described as a sexist boys’ club: I have been treated appallingly and excluded completely.”
As the row escalated, the party said it had reported itself to the UK’s data protection watchdog and claimed a “false membership system has been unilaterally launched”.
The party said the developments were a “blow for everyone who has put their hope in a real alternative” and that Ms Sultana “has not been excluded from any discussions”.
More than 750,000 supporters signed up since its launch earlier this year under the placeholder name of Your Party, according to Ms Sultana. And pollsters have warned Labour that the new party could damage it at the next general election.
Meanwhile, a group of left-wing activists calling themselves Our Party has urged the six MPs to step aside and hand the founding of the new party over to its members.
Ms Sultana said she supported Our Party’s call, saying it was “what I’ve been fighting for from the start”.
