Labour's spiteful reaction to defections to the Green Party in perspective. Defectors speak out as they form second opposition group in size

 

 

 

The Brent Labour Party rushed out a message to members when they got wind of potential defections to the Green Party  today, instructing members to treat the defectors as political opponents and enforcing a 24 hour lockdown on members making any comments publicly.

 

The first officical comment was to the BBC is above and rather spiteful. In contrast this is what Zack Polanski said at the Press Conference:

 

 

 

Contrary to the Labour comments, there is a thorough established process on accepting potential defectors to the Green Party looking at their record and establishing their understanding and adherence to Green values. The usual checks are made on social media and elsewhere.

 

There are interviews at both local and regional level and the national party is consulted. Not all applicants make it through the process.  The process is friendly, but challenging.

 

Fortunately the Brent Green Party has issued statements from all the councillors so people can make uo their own minds.

 

 

 

 

 

From Brent Green Party 

 

Following a surge in the polls and with membership growing to over 180,000 in just a few months, the Green Party is today announcing the biggest block defection yet to the Greens, with 5 Labour councillors coming over to the Green Party,  

The 5 Brent Councillors are: 

  Cllr Harbi Farah (Former Labour Cabinet Member, Welsh Harp) 

Cllr Iman (Former Labour Party Whip, Wembley Park) 

Cllr Mary Mitchell (Welsh Harp) 

Cllr Tony Ethapemi (Stonebridge) 

Cllr Erica Gbajumo (Brondesbury Park) 

 

These latest defections come on the back of seven previous defections in London alone since September, with two in Southwark in the last month.  

Zack Polanski, Leader of The Green Party of England & Wales, said:  

The Green surge has just widened in London. What we’re witnessing in Brent mirrors what we’re hearing across the country on doorsteps and in polls. Good Labour councillors can see Labour has abandoned any sense of progressive politics and is showing absolute cowardice in its doomed attempt to out Reform, Reform with the politics of division and scapegoating.   

Increasingly, people are finding the alternative they need by joining the Green Party and working for a better world shaped by hope rather than fear. 

In the elections in May, it is the Greens who will be taking the fight to Reform and we show our intent today in Brent. This is just the start.”  

Brent Green Party said:

Brent is the most diverse borough in London, rich in history and culture, yet years of Labour and Tory austerity have taken a heavy toll. Services continue to shrink, in-work poverty is rising, families are under pressure, and local businesses face growing uncertainty. In one of the world’s wealthiest cities, such inequality is indefensible. 

By joining the Brent Green Party, Tony, Iman, Mary, Erica and Harbi are now able to speak out and push back. They are dedicated councillors who work hard for their communities, and Brent Greens stand ready to support them as they fight to put the needs of residents back at the heart of local government. 

Statements from Councillors 

 

 

Cllr Iman Ahmadi-Moghaddam (Former Labour Party Whip) 

Ward: Wembley Park 

I joined Labour to build a fairer society, but Starmer’s government has abandoned any ambition to change the system. This government has doubled down on austerity whilst the cost of living devastates families, sides with big developers instead of fixing Brent’s housing crisis, and scapegoats migrants to distract from its own failures. And whilst Israel commits genocide in Gaza, this government arms the perpetrators and criminalises peaceful protest. 

 

Throughout my time as a Councillor, I stood up for and organised for Palestine, for renters’ rights, leaseholders’ rights, for human rights, for an end to austerity, and for a fairer Wembley Park and Brent.  

 

I am joining the Green Party, which is now home to the values of compassion, social justice and community power. I will continue serving Brent with those values at my core. 

 

Cllr Mary Mitchell 

Ward: Welsh Harp 

I’ve been a Labour party member for a decade, and a Labour councillor for four years. I have always believed that a Labour Party in power was worth fighting for. 

Instead the Labour Party has left the values that I stand for, and what the Party historically has stood for and achieved. 

In copying far-right policy and rhetoric on migration, scrapping jury trials and the draconian policing of protest, we have seen the Labour Party move to the right.  

In downgrading investment in the energy transition and deepening fossil-fuel interests, the party has gone against manifesto promises on tackling climate change and nature depletion.  

The appalling complicity in Israel’s genocidal actions in Gaza and suspension from the party of those who call this out is a stain on Labour’s historic record of free speech and human rights advocacy. 

Where positive change has happened it has been tinkering around the edges. Yet the challenges that we face as a nation, and locally, are so significant that we require systematic change. I no longer believe that the Labour Party is capable of, or willing to fight for, the level of change it historically brought about. 

In the Green Party, I find a party that recognises the interconnectedness of people and planet and the importance of radical systems change. 

I know many residents I represent will welcome this news. It is a privilege to be part of a new era of Green Politics in Brent, and to give Brent residents a real choice at the ballot box for a greener, fairer future. 

 

Cllr Harbi Farah (Former Cabinet Leader for Safer Communities) 

Wards: Welsh Harp 

For many years, the Labour Party was my political home. It was a place I deemed represented the ideals of social justice, equality, and collective well-being. I dedicated my public life and my hope to the vision of a fairer Britain, one where the most vulnerable were protected and the powerful were held accountable. 

Over recent years, however, an overwhelming and accumulating sense of disappointment has taken hold. This decision to leave the Labour Party is not one made lightly, but out of necessity and a deep-seated conviction that theparty no longer serves the principles it once championed. 

My primary disillusionment stems from what feels like a consistent pattern of broken manifesto promises. We were offered a transformative agenda, a genuine shift in power dynamics, but time and again, when faced with political headwinds or internal pressures, those commitments seemed to vanish such as welfare reform, scapegoating immigrant, race to the far right, scrapping jury trials and silencing internal debate dissent  

The gap between rhetoric and reality widened into an unbridgeable chasm. It became increasingly difficult to reconcile my values with a party that appeared to compromise on core principles for the sake of perceived electability, often leaving the most radical and necessary changes behind. 

I am leaving the Labour Party because my values have not changed; the party has. I still believe in a society structured around solidarity and genuine systemic change. I am a socialist, and I seek a political home that unambiguously champions these ideals. 

It is with this renewed clarity that I have decided to join the Green Party. 

In the Green Party, I have found a movement that not only understands the urgency of the climate crisis but also fundamentally embraces socialist principles. The Green Party’s commitment to public ownership, wealth redistribution, strengthening public services, and championing a universal basic income aligns precisely with the socialist vision of an equitable society.  

My hope now rests with the Green Party. I look forward to working alongside others who share an unwavering commitment to a compassionate, sustainable, and truly socialist future for our country. 

 

  

Cllr Tony Ethapemi 

Ward: Stonebridge 

 

I left the Labour Party because the party is no-longer the Party I joined over twenty-five years ago. Over time it has let me down in the values we shared - fairness, social justice, humanity and democracy. These principles guided my involvement and inspired my commitment, but I no longer feel they are upheld in the way I had hoped. The party I thought was broad and inclusive is no longer, it has lurched to the far right. 

 

The Green Party now reflects my values of social justice, humanity and fairness. I have in recent times been inspired by the socialist values imbibed by the leader of the Green Party and desire to serve the community as a Green Party member. 

 

Cllr Erica Gbajumo 

Ward: Brondesbury Park 

After nearly twenty years of membership, I have taken the difficult decision to resign from the Labour Party. Over time, I have felt that the party I joined has changed in both tone and direction, moving away from the values and principles that originally inspired my involvement.  

I have also grown increasingly concerned about the internal culture of the party, which in my experience has become more centralised and restrictive, leaving less space for open debate and genuine representation. 

My responsibility is to act with integrity and to put the residents I represent first. After careful reflection, I believe the Green Party offers a clearer and more consistent commitment to social justice, community wellbeing, and accountable politics. It is for these reasons that I will continue my work as a councillor under a new political home. 

Green Party Shows Strongest Broadcast Momentum of Any UK Political Party Under New Leader Zack Polanski

 From Be Broadcast

New analysis of more than 220,000 UK broadcast mentions shows the Green Party is the only political force to have increased its airtime since early September - with visibility, tone, and membership all rising under new leader Zack Polanski.

The findings come from Mission Control, a broadcast monitoring project by Be Broadcast with political analysis by Cast From Clay, tracking coverage between 1 September and 20 October 2025.

This period continues the Who Gets Heard? study released in early September - but with one major change: the appointment of the Greens’ new leader.

While every other party’s coverage fell by between 55% and 85% during the period, the Greens rose by 44%, the only positive trend recorded. Over the same timeframe, party membership surged to over 126,000, overtaking the Conservatives and more than doubling the Liberal Democrats.

“Broadcast is often the first indicator of public movement - and that’s exactly what we’re seeing here,” said Josh Wheeler, founder of Be Broadcast. “The Greens’ rise on air mirrors their rise in membership, showing how people are shifting, not just parties.”

A New Phase for Green Coverage

Between 1 September and 20 October, the Green Party achieved 13,728 broadcast mentions, with Polanski personally referenced 8,648 times - more than Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey (4,543) and close to Opposition Leader Kemi Badenoch (10,074).

Despite leading a party with only four MPs, Polanski’s media presence now rivals senior figures from the major parties.

Mission Control’s language analysis shows a distinct tonal shift in how broadcasters discuss the party.

Before September, the Greens were primarily framed around protest, climate, and activism; since Polanski’s appointment, that focus has moved to fairness, jobs, prosperity, and the future.

This change has coincided with a dramatic rise in constructive coverage. Forty-one percent of mentions involving the Greens are now solution-focused or positive in tone - the highest of any national party - compared with 22% for the Conservatives and 19% for Reform UK.

“Audiences respond to clear, consistent communication,” said Tom Hashemi, CEO of Cast From Clay. “Polanski has reframed the Greens’ message from activism to aspiration - jobs, fairness, and prosperity. That’s not the language of protest, it’s the language of ambition.”

Comparative Party Performance (1 Sept – 20 Oct 2025)

Party	Broadcast Mentions (Sept–Oct)	2024 Vote Share %	MPs (2024)	Mentions per MP
Reform UK	83,776	14.3	5	16,755
Labour	43,431	33.7	411	106
Conservatives	18,695	23.7	121	155
Green Party	13,728	6.4	4	3,432
Liberal Democrats	9,468	12.2	72	132

 
 

The Greens’ per-MP broadcast ratio now outperforms Labour by more than 30 to 1 and the Conservatives by 22 to 1 - a striking change since the last report.

Their growth also came during conference season, a period usually dominated by the largest parties - suggesting that the uplift is structural, not seasonal.

“Broadcast acts as a national pulse,” Wheeler added. “When stories about fairness, cost of living, and the future start to dominate airtime, it signals something wider happening in public sentiment.”

Change Since the Last Report

Mission Control compared the September–October data with the earlier dataset covering 1 January–3 September 2025 to measure changes in relative broadcast share.

Although the timeframes differ in length, the comparison highlights which parties are gaining or losing momentum.

Party	Mentions (Jan–3 Sept)	Mentions (Sept–Oct)	% Change	Key Insight
Green Party	31,053	13,728	+44.2%	Only UK party to increase broadcast visibility since last report.
Labour	924,693	43,431	–84.7%	Attention plateau after initial post-election dominance.
Conservatives	121,251	18,695	–84.6%	Decline despite leadership speculation.
Reform UK	353,660	83,776	–76.3%	Still strong, but tone softening.
Liberal Democrats	46,468	9,468	–79.6%	Consistently underexposed.
SNP	45,308	7,373	–83.7%	Consistent but contained.
Plaid Cymru	2,194	969	–55.8%	Local strength, national quiet.
DUP	5,925	2,451	–58.6%	Static presence.
Sinn Féin	6,081	2,001	–67.1%	Focused on diplomacy over domestic debate.

 
 

While most parties lost ground, the Greens increased their broadcast footprint by 44%.
Polanski’s leadership coincided with this growth, supported by a membership surge and the party’s increased focus on social and economic issues.

“The same political climate that has opened space for Reform has also opened space for the Greens,” Hashemi added. “People are looking for something different. The question is whether Polanski can convince them that ‘different’ means Green, not Farage.”

 

Tone and Visibility by Party Leader

Leader	Mentions (Sept–Oct)	% Constructive Tone	Dominant Frame
Keir Starmer	42,385	29%	“Administrative stability.”
Kemi Badenoch	10,074	22%	“Internal reset.”
Nigel Farage	41,173	19%	“Provocation fatigue.”
Ed Davey	4,543	31%	“Community voice, limited cut-through.”
Zack Polanski	8,648	41%	“Fairness and prosperity.”

 
 

While Polanski’s tone is the most positive, other leaders show a different picture.

The Conservatives’ constructive tone sits at 22%, suggesting their recent focus on cultural and identity issues has not translated into broader resonance.

“Broadcast rewards clarity and originality,” said Hashemi. “Imitation doesn’t cut through.”

 

The Big Picture

• +44% increase in Green Party broadcast mentions since September
• 13,728 total mentions (party), 8,648 mentions (leader)
• 126,000 members, up 80% since leadership election
• Highest constructive tone of any UK leader (41%)
• Per-MP broadcast visibility 30× that of Labour

 

Together, the findings suggest that momentum and message discipline - rather than parliamentary size - are shaping modern broadcast visibility.

 

In a landscape where every major party saw its share of airtime fall, the Greens’ combination of consistency, tone, and public resonance stands out as the clearest measure of political momentum this autumn.

UPDATED WITH VOTE RESULT: This House Believes Trump is a 21st Century Fascist | Cambridge Union - Zack Polanski speaks for the motion

 

 Zack Polanski, Deputy Leader of the Green Party, speaks for the motion 'This House Believes Trump is a 21st Century Fascist'  at the Cambridge Union. 

RESULT OF VOTE:

Ayes - 219 

 

Abstain - 118 

 

Noes - 160

Zack Polanski urges Home Secretary to retract her 'offensive' accusations regarding Saturday's Palestine demonstration & review the evidence

 

Zack Polanski speaking at the Palestine Rally on Saturday

 

Zack Polanski,  deputy leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, has written to the Home Secretary about the policing of Saturday's peaceeful Palestine demonstration in London.

 

Dear Home Secretary, 

  

I am a London Assembly member who attended and spoke at the peaceful Palestine Solidarity rally this weekend. 

The police were informed of our intention to protest against the decision to ban the march to the BBC. It was announced that a small delegation would walk silently and peacefully towards the BBC and lay flowers to commemorate the deceased if and when we were stopped by the police. Among our group were parliamentarians Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell, along with many community organisations. 

As shown in many videos, police had agreed through negotiation that the delegation could pass through and lay flowers. However, they subsequently allowed a much larger group into Trafalgar Square. It is concerning to see Metropolitan Police tweets falsely stating that people were “forcing through.” 

Such language feeds false and often racist narratives about the Palestine Solidarity Campaign’s protests that have been peaceful. 

I’m also disturbed by your own communications suggesting there was an intention to disrupt a synagogue. Many Jewish participants, including myself, find this accusation offensive. The goal was to protest the BBC's failure to report the genocide accurately, and this was planned quite some distance from the synagogue and way after services had ended. 

Public trust in our institutions is already fragile. Politicising the police and smearing innocent people only worsens this. I urge you to review the evidence including footage from body worn cameras from the event, retract your comments and clarify the situation with the Metropolitan Police.  

Thank you for your attention in this matter, 

Zack Polanski

Green Party Member of the London Assembly