At a recent Huddersfield gathering, former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn stoked excitement when he declared:
“By next year’s local elections—long before that, I hope—we’re going to have something in place that is very clear and everyone will want to be part of and support.”
He was speaking to activists from the People’s Alliance for Change and Equality (PACE), who aim to field left-wing candidates across Kirklees in 2026.
🗣️ “I hear the call for a new political party”
Corbyn urged a grassroots movement to unite under a fresh banner of peace, justice, equality and diversity. He said:
“That political party needs to be well-informed and effective… one that gives out a central message of peace, of justice, of equality, of diversity within our society.”
His backing follows months supporting community empowerment projects and anti-cuts campaigns nationwide.
🌍 PACE: local roots, national ambitions
Launched on 10 May, PACE connects campaigners, trade unions and local politicians opposed to war, austerity and racism. Anti-cuts campaigner Mike Forster told the crowd:
“With Labour widely discredited as a party of austerity—and Nigel Farage’s Reform on the rise—we need a left-wing political alternative now! Not migrants or trans people, but the super-rich are undermining our NHS and disability benefits.”
Similar grassroots assemblies have sprung up from Newcastle to Enfield, all feeding into Corbyn’s vision of a mass party.
⚖️ Why now?
Many left-leaning voters feel abandoned by Keir Starmer’s Labour shift towards corporate backers. They seek a party that puts class at its core, champions living wages, affordable housing, climate action, wealth taxes, robust public services—and, crucially, peace.
❓ What might it look like?
Clues point to a decentralised structure, with local assemblies shaping policy. It would fuse trade-union muscle with community activism—and stand firmly against establishment politics across the left-right spectrum.
🔮 Next steps
Corbyn and PACE urge all who share these values to join their local assemblies. With 2026 full-council elections looming in many areas, early-stage candidates could gain vital momentum.
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