Zack Polanski tells voters there is no ‘time to wait around’ for Corbyn party

Green Party leader Zack Polanski has urged left-leaning voters to back his party, saying there is no “time to wait around” for a new party from Jeremy Corbyn and Zara Sultana.

Mr Corbyn, the former Labour leader, and Ms Sultana have signalled plans to launch a new left-wing political movement but have not yet formally set it up.

Speaking to Trevor Phillips on Sky News on Sunday, Mr Polanski said: “I like Jeremy Corbyn, I like Zara Sultana.

“A lot of our politics is similar and I share lots of platforms with them.

“Jeremy said it himself the other day – we are different people.

“Whatever they are going to set up does not exist yet.

“I don’t think we have time to wait around.

“I would say to anyone who wants to have social, environmental, racial and economic justice – join the Green Party right now.”

The new Green leader also defended his party’s manifesto proposals, rejecting claims they would blow a £170 billion hole in the public finances.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has warned the Greens’ pledges would require tax rises on that scale each year.

But Mr Polanski said: “I reject this talk of holes. The household budget is nothing like a national economy.

“Politicians from the Labour and Conservative Party have pushed these narratives of austerity.

“We can’t come at this conversation just about the economy – it has to be about our mental health, our wellbeing and physical health of the nation.

“The era of trickle-down economics was always a lie. We’re still paying interest to private banks that we don’t need to pay.”

He said the Greens would introduce new wealth taxes, including a 1% levy on assets worth £10 million or more and 2% on assets worth over £1 billion.

“If you’re about to say ‘won’t they just leave’ – assets can’t just pick up and leave,” Mr Polanski said.

“The Duke of Westminster owns half of Mayfair – we need to make sure we have a fair taxation system in this country.”

Asked whether major tax rises on the wealthy would appeal to former Conservative voters who helped elect Green MPs last year, Mr Polanski said: “What appeals to most people is tackling inequality – whether you live in the city, or whether you live in the countryside where we have rural constituency MPs.

“If you’re a farmer – 80% of subsidies go to the wealthiest 20% of landowners.

“We need to have a conversation in this country about food security and making sure we’re protecting the people who are vital to our biodiversity and protecting nature.”