Greens could join pact with Labour... if Starmer goes

Zack Polanski reveals his terms for a deal to stop Reform

- DAVID MADDOX POLITICAL EDITOR

The Green Party is willing to consider joining an electoral pact with Labour to stop Nigel Farage's Reform UK - but not while Sir Keir Starmer is leader, Zack Polanski has said.

With his party rising rapidly in the opinion polls, there has been widespread speculation that the Greens could work with the Labour Party to take on Reform at the local elections in May – but leader Mr Polanski has insisted his priority now is “to replace Labour, not work with them”.

Pressed on whether he would be open to a pact, Mr Polanski told The Independent he would consider an alliance with Labour if former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner or Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham were to become leader, but said such a deal is out of the question at present.

“Under no circumstances could I see a scenario where I’d want to work with Labour led by Keir Starmer,” he said. “All I think working with Keir Starmer would do is create an even worse [version of] Nigel Farage down the track.”

With the prime minister’s position under scrutiny amid widespread speculation about attempts to replace him, Mr Polanski added: “I feel it would be easier to work with someone like [former deputy prime minister] 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.”