Support for Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana's new political party is growing.

Ambulance worker Richard Hodgkinson has launched an East Cheshire Your Party group.

The longtime union activist from Congleton was inspired to do so after becoming 'disenfranchised' with the Labour Party.

He said: "I basically feel I've been forced out.

"The last election I voted Green because of their stance on wealth tax.

"Keir Starmer has been in charge 12 months and done nothing I approve of but lots I would disapprove of."

Richard, 40, added: "If nothing else, Your Party has given people a voice and somewhere else to go.

"People are disillusioned. They know it's a two-horse race and they don't like either horse as they've both let them down in various ways.

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"So, what's the alternative? Sometimes you just need another option."

Your Party was set up by Zarah Sultana and Jeremy Corbyn (Credit: LDRS/SWNS)

Your Party was launched in July by former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn and MP Zarah Sultana, both of whom Richard greatly admires.

Some of the party's core aims relate to protecting the NHS, bringing energy, water, rail and mail into public ownership and establishing a free and independent Palestinian state.

On this last point, Richard said: "I hale from Rochdale, which has a very large Asian and ethnic minority population.

"A lot of the people I grew up with have helped to expand my horizons with regards to what is happening in the rest of the world.

"We need a party thinking bigger and working more collaboratively outside the UK."

He continued: "Some people still aren't even that aware of what is happening in Gaza.

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"My sister was in Manchester when the Arndale bomb went off in 1996. Imagine if the British government sent Harrier jets over the Republic of Ireland dropping bombs on housing estates because we thought some IRA terrorists might live there. It wouldn't happen would it?

"It would be completely over the top and unjustifiable but that's exactly what's happened in Gaza.

"Yes, there are some terrorists and they need to be dealt with but you don't go levelling entire civilian areas to do it. It's just not acceptable.

"I do believe the government is complicit. They've not done everything in their power to stop it."

Poster for Your Party East Cheshire (Credit: Your Party)

Richard, who works as an emergency medical technician, continued, explaining that he is by no means anti-war, having tried to join the army himself in the past.

"I'm very much for having a strong army so I probably disagree with Corbyn on his stance on nuclear weapons," he said.

"But if its between feeding kids in Gaza and having nuclear deterrent, I'd give up my nuclear deterrent first."

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Your Party will officially launch with an inaugural conference in the autumn, during which the party's permanent name will be announced.

Until then, Richard will be working on drumming up support locally with plans to host a first face-to-face meeting in October.

As a grassroots movement, supporters are encouraged to share their ideas to help shape the party's future.

He said: "The idea is to collect likeminded individual so that by the time they launch in autumn we have the foundation blocks for a party in the area."

Your Party East Cheshire can be found on Facebook here.