British left-wingers overjoyed by Mamdani’s victory in New York
The election of a new mayor in New York is rarely big news in the UK, but Zohran Mamdani’s victory is attracting huge attention, especially on the left of British politics.
“This is what socialist representation looks like,” a jubilant Zarah Sultana posted alongside a photo of herself with Mamdani.
The former Labor MP is in the process of forming a new left-wing party with Jeremy Corbyn, who will also celebrate the 34-year-old Democratic Socialist’s victory.
Corbyn, a former Labor leader, hosted a phone bank on Sunday evening to “get votes” for Mamdani and posed in a “North London 4 Zohran” Arsenal football jersey. They are both fans of the club.
Mamdani’s policies, such as taxing the rich, universal free childcare and freezing rents, are in line with Corbyn and Sultana’s brand of socialism, and he shares a history of pro-Palestinian activism with his British allies.
But Mamdani’s ability to take on and defeat the centrist old guard in his own party, defeating former Democratic New York governor Andrew Cuomo, who was forced to run as an independent, will also be a morale boost for leftists who are no longer welcome in the Labor Party.
Your Party, the parent name of the new Corbyn and Sultana party, said in a statement: “Zohran’s historic victory shows that the old politics of the center is bankrupt and a new socialist politics can replace it.”
They added: “We will build on this policy and alternative here in Britain too.”
Green Party leader Zack Polanski was also quick to celebrate Mamdani’s victory and did not shy away from encouraging comparisons to her, saying she would adopt “the same relentless focus on inequality.”
Polanski’s notable brand of “eco-populism” has propelled his party to record membership levels and signaled a willingness to work with Corbyn and Sultana once their new party is up and running.
Reactions from senior figures in the Labor Party are more muted.
Sadiq Khan, Labour’s three-term London mayor, who shares Mamdani’s Muslim faith and has also been attacked by Donald Trump, was clearly pleased.
“New Yorkers faced a clear choice between hope and fear, and just like we saw in London, we saw hope win,” he said on social media.
But Labor ministers, apart from Health Minister Wes Streeting, are not clamoring to congratulate the newly elected New York mayor.
Streeting, who is said to have leadership ambitions, wrote about X that Mamdani’s campaign was “inspiring” and had “lessons for progressives around the world.”
Education Minister Bridget Phillipson took a different tone. Asked by Sky News whether he liked Mamdani, he replied: “I’ll be honest, I don’t follow American politics particularly closely.”
Labor MP Sarah Smith, elected in 2024 He told BBC’s Politics Live programme. Mamdani’s election “brings real hope to progressive politicians like me”.
But he said it was also a sign of “how volatile politics is today” and that he now faces “some real challenges” to deliver on the things he said he would do and keep businesses together.
Reactions on the right wing of British politics became even more muted.
Conservative colleague Baroness Warsi, the first Muslim woman to serve in the British cabinet, said it was “a wonderful moment that we can all celebrate, whatever our politics, left or right”.
“Hope won there and can win here too. I congratulate the young man who managed to remain himself without regret despite all the attacks.”
But Warsi has become increasingly detached from the Conservative Party since leaving frontline politics.
A harsh look at Mamdani’s policies and past in The Spectator magazine He may be closer to the views of the average Tory MP, who harbors a tribal hatred of all forms of socialism.
The piece, written by conservative commentator Heather Mac Donald, accuses Mamdani of being an “overgrown college student” whose policies will “destroy” New York.
From US politics to UK politics, it is always dangerous to read too much; They have very different electoral systems and traditions.
And it is obvious that some of them have already had their fill of Mamdani fire.
One influential Labor figure said: “Let me tell you, I can’t give full judgment to this mayor of New York and what that means for Labor.”
Some will see the election of more traditional Democrats as governor by comfortable margins in New Jersey and Virginia as a more important sign of where U.S. politics is heading as the midterm elections approach.
But for British leftists looking for inspiration – a sign that it is possible to win big with the combination of an explicitly socialist platform and a conscious campaign on social media – Mamdani is hard to beat right now.
