Green Party members have insisted that Zack Polanski’s leadership will survive if he loses the Holborn and St Pancras by-election, amid suggestions that his popularity has peaked. The Green leader is facing questions over his position after a dip in polls for the party in the wake of Andy Burnham replacing Sir Keir Starmer as Prime Minister.
Mr Polanski left his party’s conference in Brighton after his opening speech on Friday afternoon to head to Holborn and St Pancras to campaign in the upcoming by-election. He has encouraged members and activists to skip the event to knock on doors and drum up support in the constituency. In his address to delegates, Mr Polanski urged voters to back the Greens to force Labour in “the right direction”.
Underdog in the by-election
Mr Polanski claimed that “sustained pressure” from his party had forced Labour into changing its stance on issues including climate change and the war in Gaza. He has acknowledged that he is the “underdog” in the by-election on October 8 but insisted he can defy expectations and take the safe Labour seat vacated by the former Prime Minister.
The London Assembly leader rejected suggestions that he had reached the limits of his recent surge in popularity and told the Standard last week that he hopes to pull off “one of the biggest upsets in British political history”. This is despite a recent YouGov survey suggesting that the Greens would win zero MPs in the capital if a general election was held tomorrow amid a “Burnham bounce” for Labour across the country.
Support from party members
Mr Polanski has pointed to his party’s performance at the 2024 general election and council polls held in May, where the Greens seized control of six local authorities in the capital. Diane Gould, a Wealden Green Party councillor and the Pearly Queen of St Pancras, told the Standard: “The Greens have only just started. It gained momentum when Zack first came in and now the momentum is building.”
James Croft, co-chair of Green Humanists, said: “Politics changes and you get new people coming in and out of politics and you are going to have to find different strategies to respond to different political opposition. But I don’t think there is any reason to think [Mr Polanski’s] popularity has peaked. He’s just getting started.” He added: “The fact Labour is now moving on to our territory is demonstration we were in the right place the whole time. He should win. I think he would be an absolutely great member of parliament.”
Concerns over Labour’s moves
Prashant, from the Manchester Green Party, told the Standard that he feared Labour’s new stance on Gaza and Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband imposing sanctions on Israeli settlements could persuade wavering voters to stick with Labour. He said: “I personally feel that Zack does have a good chance of winning... I also fear that Labour’s made some really really crafty moves right before the election. The whole announcement made by Ed Miliband on them sanctioning settlers as well as companies that are involved in constructing on illegally occupied land. I feel like if there is any on the fence Labour/ Green voters, I have a fear that is going to tip them more towards Labour.”
Asked if Mr Polanski’s leadership can survive him losing the by-election, Prashant added: “I think it definitely will. I don’t think the results of one by-election should determine the fate of the leadership of the Green Party. I think Zack has done extremely well. At the same time, my advice to Green members is Zack is just one person. He is also an equal member of the Green Party. We all have our bits to do, so pitch in and don’t pin it all down on one person.”
