A British party's disastrous launch has left many members stranded in a membership limbo.
When supporters signed up for the newly formed Your Party, led by Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana, they were met with promises of change. However, the reality quickly turned sour as chaotic communication between the two websites and a lack of transparency have created a perfect storm of frustration among subscribers.
The party's portal requires members to open a new account and commit to another payment in order to cancel anything, leaving many unable to escape the subscription trap. A desperate attempt to block payments from their Amex card was met with rejection, while an appeal to reclaim money from their card issuer was also rebuffed.
But for some, the problems run even deeper. Members from Asian backgrounds have reported experiencing outright racism within the party, which has become a toxic joke overnight. The party's supposed "beacon of hope" for underrepresented groups seems to have turned into a source of disillusionment and hurt.
The situation was exacerbated by the co-founder, Jeremy Corbyn, declaring an unauthorized portal as non-existent while his colleague, Zarah Sultana, claimed she had been forced to act hastily to safeguard grassroots involvement. The result is a tangled web of confusion, with disenchanted subscribers unable to cancel their subscriptions or access their money.
In response to criticism, the party's spokesperson acknowledged that the unauthorised portal has caused serious issues for individual members and expressed regret over the chaos it has created. As an apology, they offered three months' free membership to those who signed up on Sultana's portal.
The Guardian welcomes letters from readers but cannot respond individually. If you have a complaint or concern about your subscription, email [email protected] or write to Consumer Champions, Money, the Guardian, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU.
When supporters signed up for the newly formed Your Party, led by Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana, they were met with promises of change. However, the reality quickly turned sour as chaotic communication between the two websites and a lack of transparency have created a perfect storm of frustration among subscribers.
The party's portal requires members to open a new account and commit to another payment in order to cancel anything, leaving many unable to escape the subscription trap. A desperate attempt to block payments from their Amex card was met with rejection, while an appeal to reclaim money from their card issuer was also rebuffed.
But for some, the problems run even deeper. Members from Asian backgrounds have reported experiencing outright racism within the party, which has become a toxic joke overnight. The party's supposed "beacon of hope" for underrepresented groups seems to have turned into a source of disillusionment and hurt.
The situation was exacerbated by the co-founder, Jeremy Corbyn, declaring an unauthorized portal as non-existent while his colleague, Zarah Sultana, claimed she had been forced to act hastily to safeguard grassroots involvement. The result is a tangled web of confusion, with disenchanted subscribers unable to cancel their subscriptions or access their money.
In response to criticism, the party's spokesperson acknowledged that the unauthorised portal has caused serious issues for individual members and expressed regret over the chaos it has created. As an apology, they offered three months' free membership to those who signed up on Sultana's portal.
The Guardian welcomes letters from readers but cannot respond individually. If you have a complaint or concern about your subscription, email [email protected] or write to Consumer Champions, Money, the Guardian, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU.
. I mean, who creates a system where members get stuck in a membership limbo? 
It's just basic human error, right? And to make matters worse, they're trying to sweep it under the rug by saying it was an "unauthorized portal" 
. Give me a break! 
I mean, if you can't even manage your own party's website and handle member complaints properly, how are you going to tackle real social issues? 
It just looks like a joke right now. 
And now they're offering three months' free membership as an apology? 
. And Zarah Sultana trying to cover it up by saying she was acting hastily? No one buys that 
.
. Maybe invest in a decent customer service team or something. Until then, I'll be over here, enjoying the free membership offer 
.
This whole debacle is a perfect illustration of how poorly thought-out policies can lead to unforeseen consequences. I think it's essential that the party takes a step back and re-evaluates their strategy for engaging with new members. The fact that supporters were met with promises of change but then found themselves in a membership limbo is alarming. It's also disturbing to hear about the racist incidents within the party, which completely undermines the idea of a "beacon of hope" for underrepresented groups.
and dont even get me started on the racizness thats goin on its like total bs 
some asian members are sayin they got bullied or discriminated against by some party reps and its like how couldnt they see that comin?? 
like the party portal is all messed up and members cant even cancel their subs or get ther money back 
maybe they should just take a deep breath and be more transparent lol
the way they're trying to backtrack now is just cringeworthy, offering 3 months free membership as an apology? 
. and to make matters worse, racism within the party is a huge red flag 
need a major overhaul of leadership ASAP! 
. and don't even get me started on the racism 
. like, Jeremy Corbyn declaring this unauthorized portal as non-existent is just plain deceitful 
. but it's not just about the party fixing things, it's also about holding ppl in power accountable for their actions 
.
i'm so disappointed in Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana for not being more transparent and instead just making excuses 
three months free membership isn't gonna cut it after all this 
and I feel bad for those who are going through this. on the bright side at least it's not just about them having some technical issues it's like they're taking advantage of people's goodwill 
, and the website is all "oh yeah, we've got your back" 
.
. Like, how do you even fix that? 
vs "I didn't mean to make things worse" 
.
this is absolutely insane! 
that's just unacceptable. It's like they're taking advantage of people's hopes and dreams. I feel so sorry for those who got caught in this trap. The fact that they can't cancel their subscriptions or access their money is just ridiculous. 
this is just ridiculous! I mean, can't a party even get its own website together? 
.
this party's launch is just another example of how some people think they can just start something and not really think it through... like, what kind of hope do you want to offer your members when you're gonna make them jump through hoops to cancel their subscription?