The unauthorised launch of a membership portal for Your Party by MP Zarah Sultana may have been a 'serious criminal act', the UK's data watchdog has stated, advising that the matter should now be referred to the police.
ICO Steps Back, Points to Potential Crime
The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) gave this guidance to Jeremy Corbyn's Peace and Justice Project (PJP), which acts as the data controller for Your Party. The PJP had referred the party to the watchdog last September over a potential data breach following the membership launch.
After reviewing the case, the ICO concluded that formal involvement from their office was not required at this stage. Instead, in advice first reported by the New Statesman, they directed the PJP to consider reporting the issue to Action Fraud—now known as Report Fraud—and the police to determine if criminal activity had taken place.
The ICO's guidance explicitly noted that as 'serious criminal activity may have occurred', any police investigation would take precedence over their own at this point. A spokesperson for the ICO confirmed: "After reviewing the information provided, we have assessed that formal ICO involvement is not required at this time."
The September Split and Unauthorised Launch
The controversy stems from events in September of last year, which caused a significant public rift between Corbyn and Sultana. An email was sent to 800,000 people on Your Party's mailing list, urging them to become paying members for an annual fee of £55.
Sultana promoted the new membership portal on the social media platform X, encouraging supporters to "be a part of history". She assured followers the site was "safe and secure" and asked them to persist with sign-up attempts despite technical issues caused by "high traffic".
Later the same day, Jeremy Corbyn issued an 'urgent message' on X, telling his followers to ignore the "unauthorised" site and stating that "legal advice is being taken". This public disagreement marked an extraordinary split between the two socialist figures.
Contrasting Responses and Future Campaigns
On Friday, following the ICO's decision not to pursue the matter, Zarah Sultana issued a statement claiming the watchdog had "dropped the case". Writing on X, she said, "I always anticipated that this inquiry would conclude with no further action and I am pleased that everyone can now draw a line under the matter."
She shifted focus to the party's future, stating she was looking forward to campaigning in the forthcoming formal collective leadership contest. Sultana said this contest would break decisively from "Labour right tactics", give power to members and local branches, and help build a mass movement for socialism.
"I will continue working closely with Jeremy and comrades across the movement to build on our 60,000 members – the largest socialist party in the UK since the 1940s. Let’s get to work," she added.
Your Party itself has declined to comment on the latest developments and the ICO's advice for a police referral. The situation leaves open the question of whether the PJP will now follow the watchdog's guidance and report the unauthorised membership launch to the authorities.
