Zack Polanski has confirmed the Greens would be willing to consider an electoral pact with Labour to stop Reform – but only if Keir Starmer is no longer leader.
Since Polanski became Green Party leader, the party has surged in the polls and now represents a very real threat to Labour from the left.
But with Reform continuing to have a comfortable lead atop the polls, there has been widespread speculation that the Greens could strike an agreement with Labour to unite against Nigel Farage’s party.
The Caerphilly by-election earlier this year proved how the anti-Reform vote can group together to stop Farage’s party, a tactic that is likely to be crucial at the next general election.
Last month, there were reports that the Greens and Polanski would be open to a general election deal with Labour to keep Farage out of Number 10.
Now, Polanski has confirmed this is something he would consider.
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Speaking to the Independent, Polanski said at present his party’s focus was still “to replace Labour, not work with them.”
However, when he was pressed on whether he would consider any sort of pact with Labour, Polanski said he would if either former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner or Manchester mayor Andy Burnham were the party leader.
He said that any deal was a non-starter whilst Starmer is still Labour leader because this could “creat an even worse Nigel Farage” in the future.
Polanski told the Independent: “Under no circumstances could I see a scenario where I’d want to work with Labour led by Keir Starmer.
“All I think working with Keir Starmer would do is create an even worse [version of] Nigel Farage down the track.”
He continued: “I feel it would be easier to work with someone like Angela Rayner, but it’s not for me to decide whether she’s lost public trust.
“Angela Rayner, I think, has been tarnished by her previous role in this Labour government, where we had children being pushed into poverty.”
Polanski slammed Starmer as “the first Labour leader in history that’s wanted to destroy his own progressive coalition,” accusing him of “purging” socialists from the party.
Whilst the likes of Rayner and Burnham received praise from Polanski, he was also fiercely critical of health secretary Wes Streeting and home secretary Shabana Mahmood, two people considered frontrunners to challenge the prime minister in the event of a leadership contest this year.
Polanski labelled Mahmood someone “who has actively fuelled the anti-migrant rhetoric that was started with Reform but seems to be finished by this Labour Party,” and criticised her for the proscription of Palestine Action.
He also said Streeting was “showing his true colours” in his handling of the ongoing doctors’ pay dispute.
The i Paper reported last month that Polanski’s number one aim at the next election is to stop Reform gaining power.
The Green leader was said to have told sources he “couldn’t live with myself” if he didn’t do everything in his power to stop Reform and Farage.