Former MP Beth Winter playing key role in Corbyn's new party

Martin Shipton

Former Cynon Valley Labour MP Beth Winter has emerged as a key figure in the new left-wing party launched by Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana.

Ms Winter is one of the three directors of a company called MoU Operations Ltd, which was set up in April and is managing the data provided by supporters who sign up to what has provisionally been named Your Party. She lost a selection battle to MP Gerald Jones when her constituency was merged with his before last year’s general election.

Her two fellow directors are Jamie Driscoll, the former North of Tyne Mayor who was blocked by Labour from standing as its candidate for North East Mayor because he had conducted a public interview with film director Ken Loach, and Andrew Feinstein, the former South African politician and campaigner who stood against Keir Starmer at last year’s general election.

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Supporters

More than 500,000 people have registered as supporters of Your Party, enough to make it the UK’s biggest political party if they all became members.

A source associated with the new party told Nation.Cymru: “A lot of discussions have been taking place over the last few months about how the party can operate in Wales. There’s a feeling that there’s a need to challenge the Labour Party at next year’s Senedd election, offering a left-wing alternative to what the party has become. This is very important, given the challenge posed by Reform.

“Now that the party has been launched, I expect things will move forward to the next stage.”

One former Welsh Labour council leader is among those who have already joined Your Party.

Hedley McCarthy led Blaenau Gwent council for two periods, most recently between 2012 and 2015.

In 2022 he was expelled by Labour, allegedly for liking antisemitic posts on social media. He insists the posts were not antisemitic, but anti-Israel.

In February he told Nation.Cymru: “I believe the time has come to form a new party that will be strong enough to counter right wing populism.

“Keir Starmer and his cronies have moved the fulcrum of British politics to the right and is partly responsible for the shift that has led to Reform’s surge in popularity.

“The Labour Party is no longer a democratic socialist party , Starmer and his friends have purged socialists from all levels of the party on trumped up charges or for daring to defend Labour values.

“Labour is led by an establishment stooge with very little political experience and the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) with a few honourable exceptions, is full of careerists who have next to nothing in common with the constituencies they represent. What exists now is a PLP lacking in commitment, conscience and courage which can’t even spot the issue, let alone be progressive enough to oppose populism.

“Here in Wales we have a First Minister who is also a member of the House of Lords. Looking at the Senedd’s legislation it is as a rule authoritarian, and does things to people not for people. It is expanding its membership of paid Senedd Members without any recourse to the electorate.

“What we need now is a party of unity that can build bridges with like minded progressives. One that embraces democratic socialists inside and outside of the Labour Party and across other parties and those in no party, among trade unionists, pensioners, students and others. A party that can work with progressive elements within the Greens, SNP, Plaid Cymru and progressive Independents. A party that respects diversity and equality irrespective of race, creed, colour or gender united in common policy arrived at democratically by open debate.”

He added: “I have noticed a great deal of interest on Facebook in the idea of setting up a new party along the lines of what I am suggesting, and believe it’s time to take the idea forward.”

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Socialist values

Now that the new party has been announced, Mr McCarthy said: “I am very pleased that a party with socialist values is being established and like so many others have already signed up. I know a number of people who have done the same.

“A lot of people I know in the Valleys have said they feel very let down by the Labour Party. I think the new party will offer people an alternative not just to Labour, but also to Reform, which has been picking up support because it’s seen as a protest party. The fact is that Reform is just another version of the Conservative Party, and has no concern for ordinary people.

“I can’t wait to get involved in a local branch of the new party.”