Zack Polanski has claimed that Green Party electoral success can push Labour towards a more progressive governing agenda, telling delegates at the party conference in Brighton: “Vote Green and watch Labour move.”
Speaking on Friday, Mr Polanski said the Greens had influenced the Government’s approach to new oil and gas drilling at Rosebank and Jackdaw. He attributed the reported delay in approving the projects to concern about losing votes to the Greens, although the claim was presented as his view.
Mr Polanski is standing in the Holborn and St Pancras parliamentary by-election, seeking to win the seat previously held by former prime minister Sir Keir Starmer from Labour for the first time in the Greens’ electoral history. He said that voting Green between general elections was a powerful way to influence the Government.
He also announced a proposed three-year “emergency brake” on private rents. Under the policy, rent rises would be limited to the lowest of the consumer prices index, wage growth or 2%. Mr Polanski said the proposal would prevent sudden rent increases and evictions carried out under the guise of rent rises. He also called for a long-term national fair rents guarantee.
A Green Party spokesperson later said the party’s argument that voting Green could change Labour’s direction could be sustainable over the longer term. The spokesperson said the Greens had more radical positions than Labour on issues including wealth taxes, Gaza, water-sector nationalisation and climate change.
Mr Polanski also called for Palestine Action to have its status as a banned terrorist organisation revoked. Chants of “Free, free Palestine” were heard from some members at the conference.
The party is expected to debate a motion on Sunday declaring that “Zionism is racism”. Caroline Lucas, the Greens’ first MP, warned that the motion could be divisive and could be seen as suggesting that Jewish people were not welcome in the party. She said she would not support it. Former Green co-leader Adrian Ramsay has also voiced concerns, according to the supplied report.
Mr Polanski said the Green Party was “absolutely united” in wanting to end what he described as the genocide in Gaza and to stop arms sales to Israel. Asked about the motion, he said its definition of Zionism referred to the displacement and genocide of Palestinians, which he characterised as racism. He said he was calling for an amendment because he wanted equal rights for Israelis and Palestinians.
After his speech, Mr Polanski left the conference to continue campaigning in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election. Signs at the conference encouraged Green members to join campaigners canvassing in the north London constituency.
