ZACK Polanski has hailed a “historic” year for the Greens following the party’s “extraordinary electoral success” as he says they can “transform the political landscape” ahead of their biggest ever conference.
The leader of the Green Party in England and Wales will address members in Brighton on Friday, where he said ahead of his speech that his party will continue to ramp up the pressure on the UK Government in a bid to “secure genuine change in people’s everyday lives”.
Polanski's speech comes less than a week before voters in Holborn and St Pancras will head to the polls to replace the former prime minister, Keir Starmer, who quit Parliament in September.
The Green leader is one of 15 candidates standing in the by-election as he looks to capitalise on his party's momentum by winning the seat, which has been held by Labour since its creation in 1983.
As the Green Party gears up for its biggest ever party conference, Polanski has looked back on the last year, which has seen them have electoral wins in councils, boroughs, and mayoral elections, along with the Gorton and Denton by-election success.
“This will be our biggest and most exciting Green Party conference ever, coming on the back of a year of unprecedented membership growth and extraordinary electoral success,” he said.
“Greens have turned hope into electoral wins – in councils, boroughs, in mayoral elections and with our exciting breakthrough in Gorton and Denton.
“We have shown that Greens can win in places where Labour has traditionally taken voters for granted. And we have shown that when Greens win, the Labour government listens – whether that’s finally banning trade with illegal settlements or starting to open safe routes for refugees.”
Polanski added: “But our work is just beginning. Rising bills, insecure work, pressure on public services and communities that feel forgotten have left many people wondering whether politics can actually make their lives better.
“The last year has shown that the Green Party can transform the political landscape – now our task is to step up our wins and keep the pressure on this government to secure genuine change in people’s everyday lives.”
The Green Party annual conference kicks off on Friday, but the party confirmed earlier this month they considered postponing it amid Polanski’s campaign to become an MP.
If the Green Party wins the seat, as it did in a by-election earlier this year in Gorton and Denton, it would bring the party’s total of MPs to six.
The contest is widely considered to be between Polanski and Labour candidate and leader of Camden Council, Sagal Abdi-Wali.
The vote will take place on October 8.
