Green Party Celebrates First Mayoral Wins, Zack Polanski Declares Two-Party Politics Dead

The Green Party of England and Wales has registered significant gains in recent local elections, notably securing its first-ever elected mayors in Hackney and Lewisham. Co-leader Zack Polanski stated that the results at the ballot box affirm his belief that the party is poised to challenge Labour, declaring two-party politics "dead and buried."

The party gained control of Norwich, Hastings, and the London borough of Waltham Forest. Further electoral successes included the election of two members to the Welsh Parliament and the first constituency wins for the Scottish Greens in the Scottish Parliament.

Polanski attributed increased Green support to voters disillusioned with Labour and a growing number of people actively supporting the party for the first time. Prominent victories included Zoë Garbett’s defeat of her Labour opponent in the Hackney mayoral contest, followed by Liam Shrivastava's win in Lewisham. Polanski described the Hackney result as a "historic victory."

The Greens also expanded their presence in various English cities, including Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds, Oxford, and Exeter. Polanski argued that the electoral landscape now pits the Green Party against Reform UK.

Polling expert Sir John Curtice noted the Greens' "best-ever performance," projecting a national vote share of 18%. This places them ahead of both Labour and the Conservatives, who each polled 17%, and the Liberal Democrats at 16%, though behind Reform UK, which recorded 26%.