Jennie Formby, Labour’s former general secretary and a key ally of Jeremy Corbyn, has defected to the Green party, marking the latest high-profile departure from Labour among Corbyn supporters. Formby, who managed Labour from 2018 to 2020, told the Guardian she joined the Greens four months ago and plans to campaign for the party ahead of May’s local elections.
Formby criticised Labour under Keir Starmer, saying the party is “in hock to corporate sponsors” and that Starmer “does not have a set of principles which he is willing to stick to.” She praised Green co-leader Zack Polanski for addressing economic justice and tax increases, adding that the Greens’ policies on workers’ rights were a key factor in her decision.
Formby is the latest in a series of Corbyn allies to join the Greens, including former Labour adviser James Meadway and ex-North of Tyne mayor Jamie Driscoll. The influx of experienced organisers has boosted the Greens’ policy and organisational capacity, while potentially shifting focus from environmental issues. Polanski’s strategy of emphasising economic concerns has helped the party’s poll ratings rise from 10% to 16% and membership triple to 220,000.
Formby quit Labour partly over its treatment of MPs who signed a letter criticising the war in Ukraine and calling for a peace deal. She denied that Corbyn supporters are simply re-forming their movement, saying the Green party offers “a lot of energy” and a new political home.
