Former Labour metro mayor Jamie Driscoll has joined the Green Party.
In an announcement on Wednesday, the Greens confirmed the former North of Tyne mayor, who later played a role in setting up Your Party, was joining.
The news came just two days after five Labour councillors in the north London borough of Brent defected to the Greens.
Driscoll served as metor mayor for North of Tyne from 2019 to 2024. He left Labour in 2023 after the party blocked him from running again.
After losing out to Labour’s Kim McGuinness when he stood as an independent, Driscoll became involved in the creation of Your Party.
However, he left the project amid disputes over funds and infighting.
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In a statement, Driscoll said he was joining the Greens “because I see an organisation that’s serious about running our country in the long-term interests of all our people.”
He said: “Britain’s a mess. British politics is a mess and it’s not the fault of immigrants. Food prices, energy prices, housing prices are all too high. Our economy isn’t working for workers, it isn’t working for small businesses. It doesn’t have to be like this.”
Driscoll joining is a significant coup for the Greens and a major boost to their hopes of success in Newcastle at next year’s local elections.
Green leader Polanski said Driscoll joining the party was “another example of the Green surge sweeping across the country”.
He continued: “Jamie is a well-known political figure with a proven track record of delivering real change to people’s lives. People are looking for bold politics that offers hope rather than fear, and solutions rather than division. Newcastle Greens are growing fast because they’re delivering for their communities. It’s great to see Jamie Driscoll choosing to be part of a party that’s building real momentum from the ground up.”