Independent MP Adnan Hussain has quit Your Party.
In a statement shared on Friday afternoon, the Blackburn MP cited “persistent infighting” and “veiled prejudice” against Muslim men as reasons for his departure.
Sharing the statement on X, he wrote: “After much thought, I have made the difficult decision to step out of the steering process for Your Party. I wish those who continue to work on this endeavour the very best of luck and hope their hard work achieves the results they desire.”
In his letter, he hit out at a “toxic, exclusionary and deeply disheartening” environment in the party, calling out how “particularly Muslim men” within the steering process have been treated with “dismissive attitudes” and “veiled prejudice”.
Hussain also wrote of a “broader pattern of clique-like behavior and gatekeeping across sections of the movement” and a “culture surrounding the party… dominated by persistent infighting, factional competition and a struggle for power, position and influence rather than a shared commitment to the common good”.
Hussain’s resignation came following allegations that he had said behind closed doors that he doesn’t want to become a member of Your Party.
Novara Media had approached Hussain for comment on the claims just hours before his resignation.
On Thursday evening, Hussain had put his name to a statement from the Independent Alliance MPs complaining that Your Party had only received a “small portion” of supporter funds under the control of co-founder Zarah Sultana.
Over the last few days, the latest chaos has surrounded £800,000 of party donations held by Sultana in a company the party’s founders set up earlier this year.
A statement from Jeremy Corbyn along with Shockat Adam MP, Ayoub Khan MP, Iqbal Mohamed MP and the now-departed Hussain, stated that hundreds of thousands of pounds were donated to the party “by supporters in good faith, but have since remained beyond its reach,”
They described this as “extremely frustrating and disheartening,” adding that an “insufficient” portion of the funds was transferred to the party on Thursday.
The statement was not signed by Sultana, who was appearing on Question Time later on Thursday.
The issue of the donations has embroiled Your Party for months following the botched launch of the party’s membership portal.
Hundreds of thousands of pounds’ worth of donations and fees were received by MOU Operations Ltd, a company set up earlier this year to manage the initial wave of donations after Sultana launched the party’s membership portal.
Sultana subsequently took sole control of MOU Operations after its board resigned en masse and has held onto the donations.
The plan was for the funds to be transferred to Your Party after the party was formally registered with the Electoral Commission on September 30, then wind up MOU.
But this hasn’t happened.
On Monday, she offered to return £600,000, arguing the rest should be retained in case of future legal or administrative expenses.
This offer was rejected by Your Party officials, who accused the former Labour MP of playing “political games.”
A spokesperson for Sultana said: “Zarah is working to transfer all funds and data held by MOU Operations Ltd to Your Party. As sole director, she is legally responsible for ensuring the company’s costs, liabilities and expenses are settled, and this process may take some time.”
They added the first £200,000 was scheduled to be sent on 12 November and all remaining funds would be transferred “once the company’s costs, expenses and liabilities are settled in full,” the Guardian reports.
Your Party’s founding conference is scheduled to take place on November 29 in Liverpool.