Walking into the Green Party conference in Brighton, it was hard not to be struck by the optimism among members. Despite arriving at conference with declining polling figures, an increasingly popular Labour leader in Andy Burnham, and the Holborn and St Pancras just days away, there was little indication that any of this had dampened the mood.
Where Labour and the Conservatives had large corporate exhibitions and an obvious public affairs presence, the Greens’ exhibition space was dominated by environmental, human rights, animal welfare, and other campaigning organisations. It felt overwhelmingly like a members’ conference, with much of the energy coming from grassroots activists rather than politicians or corporate representatives.
What was particularly striking was the number of people attending conference for the first time. Conversations with members revealed a genuine excitement about being part of a growing political movement, with many enthusiastic about the direction the party was heading under Zack Polanski. Given reports that around 160,000 people have joined the party since Polanski became leader, perhaps this should not have been surprising.
Yet it was difficult to ignore the contrast between the confidence inside the conference hall and the challenges facing the party outside it. While Polanski received sustained applause and an enthusiastic reception during his keynote speech, polling before conference suggested his personal popularity was declining, with YouGov placing his net favourability at -29.
This disconnect raises an interesting question about the Greens’ future. Have they created a movement that can genuinely challenge the established parties, or are they becoming increasingly popular among a narrow section of the electorate?
How the party will respond to the disappointing result at the Holborn and St Pancras by-election, which saw Zack Polanski lose to Labour’s Sagal Abdi-Wali, will also be an important thing to watch. Polanski has insisted that he will stay on as leader, but rumblings of dissatisfaction have already started to be heard – especially over his handling of the ‘Zionism is racism’ motion. This raises the question of whether the Greens triumphed in Gorton and Denton only thanks to Labour’s struggles, rather than their own electoral appeal.
Much of Polanski’s leadership speech appeared designed to answer that question. His message, “Vote Green and watch Labour move”, captured what seems to be an increasingly central argument for supporting the party: even without entering government, the Greens can influence the direction of national politics.
This can arguably be seen with Starmer’s fall from power and Burnham’s appointment.
Labour’s move towards the centre under Sir Keir Starmer left space for the Greens to appeal to voters dissatisfied with the Government’s direction, with Polanski’s emphasis on housing affordability and the cost of living suggesting an awareness that environmental policies alone were not enough to expand the party’s support.
However, the Green Party could be a victim of their own success, with Burnham’s popularity now directly posing a threat to Polanski.
What Helio took away from Brighton was a party that genuinely believes it is entering a new chapter. They want to shape conversations across the political spectrum, challenge Labour from the left, and demonstrate that they can win elections.
The challenge now is to turn that enthusiasm into something more substantial. A growing membership, energetic activists, and an increasingly visible leader are undoubtedly political assets, but they do not automatically translate into wider electoral support.
If the Greens want to move beyond their reputation as a protest party and establish themselves as a serious national political force, they will need to demonstrate not only what they oppose, but how they intend to deliver the changes they advocate.
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