Zack Polanski has declared that “two-party politics is dead” as he threw down the gauntlet to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.
The Green Party leader was speaking after his party unseated Labour in Hackney, claiming its first-ever mayoral post.
Zoe Garbett won the London seat over her opponents with 35,720 votes to Labour’s 26,865.
“This is a historic victory. This is the first time the Green Party has ever won a directly elected mayor,” Mr Polanski began.
“Two-party politics is not just dying. It is dead, and it is buried,” he declared.
“It's very clear that the new politics is the Green Party versus Reform.
“I said the Green Party would replace Labour. That's exactly what we did in Gorton and Denton, and that's what we've done in Hackney, and we're seeing that right across the country.”
Mr Polanski insisted that this success was because he was “offering a tangible plan for change”.
Zack Polanski has declared the 'two-party politics is dead' as he predicts a showdown with Reform
|GB NEWS
“Alongside hope that such a powerful combination, and what I see all across the country, are people saying they're feeling hopeful for politics for the first time,” he said.
Looking ahead of the local elections, Green Party leader also outlined his ambitions to see more candidates win seats in Parliment.
“I've got a pretty good indicator that people like the Green Party in Hackney.
“I think that's the same in Walthamstow, in Holborn and Saint Pancras, in Camden, in Islington, in Lambeth, in Lewisham, whether it's me or whether it's a whole host of other people, you're going to see a whole host of Green MPs at the next election,” he predicted.
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The Green Party leader was speaking after Zoe Garbett won the mayoral seat in Hackney
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Mr Polanski was informed that many of those targets were occupied by Labour “big dogs”.
“Those Labour big dogs have failed this country, and I think it's time to replace them,” he hit back.
Taking aim at the Prime Minister, the Green Leader called on him to quit.
“My message to Keir Starmer is that he needs to go, but I don't think that's my message. I think that's the country's message", he said.
Mr Polanski also called for Keir Starmer to step down
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“His popularity has been going for a long time, and he's lost the trust of the country.”
Earlier, Sir Keir vowed to hold onto power and work harder to “deliver change” as loyalists formed ranks around him.
“That feels like the entitlement and the privilege that this Labour government have acted with every single day that they've been in office,” Mr Polanski claimed.
“It's very clear that Keir Starmer doesn't have what it takes to lead us out of the multiple crises that we have right now,” he slammed.