Alex Snowdon examines the state of play with the newly established Your Party, and argues that the leadership give us the tools and organisation to build it

The new left-wing party was announced in July. The popular response was amazing. 

The central operation since then, however, has been poor. 

Only two emails have been sent out. Their content was thin. It took a number of weeks to launch social media channels, which are underused. 

A conference date and venue have still not been announced. No paid membership scheme has been launched. 

Nothing has been done with the database of hundreds of thousands of names to support local activists wanting to organise. 

Although some scattered events have happened with Jeremy Corbyn or Zarah Sultana speaking, there has been no national coordination. 

Meanwhile, there has been tremendous energy and enthusiasm from many at the grassroots level. Activists have simply got on with organising dozens of local meetings. 

The meetings have been very well attended, especially considering the lack of access to data. 

I co-organised a Newcastle meeting last week, which attracted at least 140 people. It was politically serious and determined. 

We need to crack on. If there was any doubt, Polanski’s victory in the Green Party leadership election should have buried it. 

This is a competitive field. Politics abhors a vacuum. 

Politics is happening now. It is not a hypothetical. 

Racist and fascist street mobilisations are happening now. Reform is polling 30% now. 

Gaza is starving now. 200,000 people are marching for Gaza now. 900 people are being arrested for protesting at the proscription of Palestine Action now. 

Government ministers are plotting how to further cut welfare support now. Prices are going up now. Rents are rising now. 

We need the leadership, the tools and the organisation to build a left alternative immediately. 

To quote Shakespeare: ‘There is a tide in the affairs of men, which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune’.