Your Party Takes Root with Exeter Spark, Totnes Meet-Up Ahead

Opinion Piece

Across the country, a new political movement is gathering pace – and Devon is very much involved.

The movement, provisionally known as Your Party, has only existed for a matter of weeks but has already attracted thousands to events nationwide. From launch rallies in Blackburn (1,500 people) and Preston (600 people) last Saturday to gatherings in places like Sheffield, Brighton and Bristol, meetings are springing up at an exponential rate, reflecting the scale of the growing interest. Nationally, over 800,000 people have registered their interest online. If a third of those go on to join once the party opens up membership, it would instantly be the largest political party in the UK.

Here in Devon, in-person gatherings have already taken place in Exeter and Ashburton, with Totnes now set to host a South Devon constituency gathering at the Civic Hall on September 30th.

Well attended in Exeter

On Friday August 26th, Exeter’s ‘Devon-wide’ supporters networking event drew over 100 people in person and 40 more online – for talks, breakout groups and animated discussion. Each of Devon’s 13 constituencies was represented – a feat organisers described as “remarkable” for a Friday evening in a county this size.

The event featured three short talks:

•   Duncan Moore (UCU) on the importance of union involvement and representation.

•   Mike Gurney (NEU / Stand Up To Racism) on the threat from the far right and how individuals and the new party can respond.

•   Ben Timberley (Left Network) on activist training and skills.

After the talks, participants split into constituency groups, sharing contacts and sketching out local plans. Zoom breakout rooms allowed those online to do the same. Despite a few classic technical hiccups, many said they really enjoyed the meeting and left feeling energised.

Supporters’ feedback captured the mood:

“So nice to see some old faces from different campaigns and groups, as well as new people – including those completely new to politics. There was a vibrant energy. People were excited to discuss the possibilities.” Paula Frisby, who chaired the meeting, admitted she was “almost overwhelmed” by the turnout: “Everyone had their own reasons for being there, but the overriding feeling was of hope and comradeship. It was positive, productive and for me absolutely inspiring to meet so many people who all want to see a change in the politics we have today. It was a meeting of hope, and eagerness to mobilise for a better future for us and future generations. Good to listen and share stuff, to be heard and to hear others, great stuff.”

Local organiser Geoff Barr described the evening as: “Different, full of ideas and full of people I hadn’t met before. I was pleased that I did not know most of those present – it showed how broad this is becoming. How do we come together to move forward from this diversity? There was a really rich array of voices, some great ideas and really interesting to hear people’s perspective on policy and how the party should be formed, very encouraging.”

What new party?

Launched in July by the ex-Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn MP and Zarah Sultana MP (both members of the six member strong ‘Independent Group’ in the House of Commons), Your Party is being built from the ground up. Instead of politicians unveiling a ready-made brand, the movement is being shaped by its supporters in real time.

As Corbyn put it: “This is going to be community-led, grassroots-led… and you know what? It’s going to be fun. ”

Sultana echoed the message of community and solidarity: “This is about ordinary people coming together to change politics for good.”

Much is yet to be decided – and that’s the point. A founding conference in November will see members vote on the party’s permanent name, constitution and programme. Until then, local meetings like those in Devon are helping chart the course.

Why a new party?

Corbyn has said the party was born out of frustration with a “highly centralised” system that leaves too many feeling voiceless, adding that its mission is to mobilise communities around housing, public ownership, climate justice and democratic renewal. Sultana has argued that “Starmer’s Labour has shifted so far to the centre that it’s no longer delivering for working-class communities or standing up to corporate power.”

Core values emerging include:

•   Properly funded public services and a free NHS

•   Decent, affordable homes and new council housebuilding

•   Bold climate action, and clean up our rivers and seas.

•   Public ownership of railways, water and other essential services

•   Peace and international justice, including solidarity with Palestine, opposition to genocide in Gaza, and an end to UK arms sales to Israel

•   Empowering workers and communities through democratic control

•   Offering an alternative to divisive, fear-based politics and fostering unity in communities

Corbyn summed it up bluntly: “The problem isn’t migrants – it’s billionaires. What we’re offering instead is to bring people together so we can collectively face the issues of poverty, bad housing and underfunded education.”

Many supporters have echoed this, saying they want to push back against scapegoating and instead put forward a progressive politics rooted in unity and fairness.

Grassroots organising across the country

Unions have been involved from the start, alongside many community groups and local organisations. Supporters from Unite, PCS, CWU and other unions are active in building the base.

At the grassroots level, energy is building quickly. A web of Facebook and WhatsApp groups now links people across Devon – from Plymouth and South West Devon to Torbay, Totnes, Ashburton and Ilfracombe. Smaller meet-ups on Zoom, in cafés and community halls are helping people find each other, compare notes and build confidence. There is also talk of engaging with community assemblies as a way of informing the party’s policy platform, as part of building what organisers describe as a “movement of movements.” The intention has been set that listening to the people, listening to the community, will be central to how this party operates.

What about the Greens – and beyond?

The Green Party elected Zack Polanski as its new leader recently, with a resounding 85% of the vote. While he has distanced himself from any formal pact for now, Polanski has left the door open to collaboration.

Talks and collaborations are also underway with a range of local and national groups that share overlapping principles. These include independents across the country, regional parties such as Jamie Driscoll’s Majority in North East England as well as broader coalitions like Transform – which brings together the Breakthrough Party, Left Unity, the People’s Alliance of the Left and Liverpool Community Independents. The Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) has also offered its full backing, while newer initiatives such as Collective, led by trade unionists and community organisers, are part of the conversation too.

What’s next for Devon?

After Exeter’s spark and Ashburton’s earlier meeting, the spotlight now shifts to Totnes. On Monday 30th September in the Civic Hall at 7pm is a gathering for supporters and people who want to get involved – a chance to shape the future direction of the movement in South Devon and link up with others doing the same. Already, informal meet-ups are being arranged in Paignton and Ilfracombe, with Buckfastleigh planning a larger event soon. Across Devon, people are finding each other, swapping stories, and starting to imagine how things could be different.

A movement bigger than Devon

Of course, Devon is only one piece of the puzzle. From Blackburn to Preston, Bristol to Brighton, thousands have already taken part in meetings, with more being announced every day. Everywhere, the message is the same: a hunger for a politics of equality, fairness and genuine grassroots democracy. Sceptics will say that new parties rarely break through. But across Europe, movements with similar beginnings have shifted politics a great deal – some even forming governments.

In an age of political earthquakes, the tectonic plates of traditional politics are undeniably shifting – and in Devon, as across the country, people are beginning to shape what comes next.

 

What are your views on Your Party? Comment below…