Nigel Farage gloats as Keir Starmer faces huge new Jeremy Corbyn challenge

Nigel Farage warned that Sir Keir Starmer's week "just got a whole lot worse" after a new left-wing party was announced last night. Zarah Sultana, the Coventry South MP who had the Labour whip suspended last year, said she was setting up a new party with former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

It comes on a nightmare week for the Prime Minister after he was forced into a humiliating U-turn on welfare cuts by Labour rebels and faced questions over Chancellor Rachel Reeves breaking down in tears at PMQs. Reform UK leader Mr Farage wrote on X: "If you thought Keir Starmer was having a bad week, it just got a whole lot worse."

Ms Sultana said she was resigning from Sir Keir's party and would "co-lead the founding of a new party" with the ex-Labour leader.

In a statement posted on X, Ms Sultana said that the project would also involve "other independent MPs, campaigners and activists across the country".

She said that "Westminster is broken but the real crisis is deeper" and the "two-party system offers nothing but managed decline and broken promises".

She added: "A year ago, I was suspended by the Labour Party for voting to abolish the two-child benefit cap and lift 400,000 children out of poverty.

"I'd do it again. I voted against scrapping winter fuel payments for pensioners. I'd do it again. Now, the Government wants to make disabled people suffer; they just can't decide how much."

Ms Sultana also accused the Government of being an "active participant in genocide" in Gaza in her statement.

Referring to the next general election, she added: "In 2029 the choice will be stark: socialism or barbarism".

Polling suggests that a new left-wing party could take 10% of the vote in a blow to Labour.

But Mr Corbyn, who on Wednesday set out plans to launch a new party, is yet to comment following Ms Sultana's announcement last night.

The veteran left-winger led Labour from 2015 to April 2020, stepping down after the party's loss at the 2019 general election.

The Islington North MP, who currently sits as an independent, was kicked out of Labour by Sir Keir in an antisemitism row.

Responding to Ms Sultana's statement, a Labour spokesperson said: "In just 12 months, this Labour Government has boosted wages, delivered an extra four million NHS appointments, opened 750 free breakfast clubs, secured three trade deals and four interest rate cuts lowering mortgage payments for millions.

"Only Labour can deliver the change needed to renew Britain."