Britain’s political landscape is shifting, and not in the way most expected. On November 2, 2025, a new poll sent shockwaves through the UK’s two-party establishment: the Green Party had leapfrogged Labour, leaving the latter at its lowest ever recorded rating—just 16 percent. For Labour leader Keir Starmer, the news was more than a statistical embarrassment; it signaled a potential existential threat to his own seat, Holborn and St Pancras, and perhaps to the party’s very future as the main force on the left.
This surge in Green support isn’t just a blip. According to data collated by Green Elects, a group that tracks Green party performance globally, the Greens’ momentum could translate into a dramatic parliamentary breakthrough by the 2029 general election. Using the Electoral Calculus election predictor, Green Elects projected that the party could win 47 new seats—bringing their total to 51. The list of targeted constituencies is a who’s who of Labour strongholds, from Barking and Birkenhead to Leeds Central and Headingley, Manchester Withington, and even Starmer’s own Holborn and St Pancras. The party’s ambitions are clear: they want to redraw the electoral map and, for the first time in modern history, seriously challenge Labour’s dominance on the left.
So, what’s fueling this Green wave? Many point to the party’s new leader, Zack Polanski, whose energetic presence and digital savvy have made him a formidable force. As reported by Green Elects and echoed in various political analyses, Polanski’s online communication style and ability to connect with younger voters have drawn comparisons to the wave of progressive candidates shaking up politics in other countries—most notably, a certain mayoral candidate making headlines in New York City. Polanski’s approach is direct, unapologetic, and, to many, refreshingly authentic.
But it’s not just charisma that’s driving the Greens’ rise. There’s also a deep disillusionment with Labour’s current trajectory under Starmer. Critics argue that Starmer’s leadership has steered the party away from its progressive roots, and some even claim that he’s made it all but impossible for left-wing voices to gain traction within Labour. The rule changes for leadership elections, enacted under Starmer's watch, have effectively barred left-leaning candidates from even appearing on the ballot. For voters hungry for real change, this has been a bitter pill to swallow.
“If the party had a left-wing leader, the corporate media and parliamentary Labour party would be howling for their downfall,” Green Elects noted in their analysis. This sentiment is echoed by many former Labour supporters who now see the Greens as the only viable progressive alternative. For them, Starmer’s attempts to consolidate control have backfired, opening the door for the Greens to step in and claim the mantle of the true left.
Polanski himself hasn’t shied away from calling out what he sees as political hypocrisy and empty rhetoric. In a recent, widely shared speech, he lambasted the political establishment’s obsession with immigration, labeling it a distraction from the issues that really matter to ordinary people. “Let’s call it for what it is: bullshit. The truth is, politicians have talked about little else but immigration for decades and in the most dehumanising ways,” Polanski declared. He went on to add, “Stop the boats’ is all we hear. Well, today I’m saying ‘stop the bullshit’.” His bluntness has resonated with a public weary of political doublespeak and performative outrage.
The Greens’ strategy isn’t just about fiery speeches, though. Their electoral calculus is cold and methodical. According to the latest predictions, the party could make gains in dozens of seats currently held by Labour, including urban centers like Bristol, Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield, and Leeds. Even Cambridge and Oxford—traditionally safe Labour or Liberal Democrat territory—are now in play. The Greens are also eyeing a rare gain from the Conservatives in Leicester East, suggesting their appeal is broadening beyond the party’s usual base.
For Labour, the threat couldn’t be clearer. If the Greens manage to convert polling momentum into actual seats, the 2029 general election could see an unprecedented fracturing of the left-wing vote. Some within Labour’s ranks have begun to sound the alarm, warning that Starmer’s strategy of squeezing out the left could ultimately backfire. Yet, paradoxically, some Green strategists believe that keeping Starmer at the helm might actually help their cause. As Green Elects put it, “At this point, it would be better for the Greens if Starmer stayed in power.” The reasoning? The longer Labour remains unresponsive to its progressive wing, the more voters are likely to defect to the Greens.
Behind the numbers and the rhetoric lies a deeper story about the changing face of British politics. For decades, the UK’s first-past-the-post system has entrenched a two-party duopoly, making it nearly impossible for smaller parties to break through. But as dissatisfaction with the status quo grows—particularly among younger and more progressive voters—the old rules may no longer apply. The Greens’ rise is as much about Labour’s perceived failures as it is about the party’s own strengths. Voters are looking for bold ideas, clear principles, and leaders who speak plainly about the challenges facing the country, from climate change to inequality to the cost-of-living crisis.
Polanski’s Green Party has positioned itself as the new front on the left, eager to disrupt the Labour Party’s dominance. Their message, amplified by social media and a cadre of passionate activists, is simple: you don’t have to choose between the lesser of two evils. As Polanski put it, “When Starmer says it’s ‘Labour or Farage,’ remember: you don’t have to choose between fascism and billions on weapons that destroy lives, create tiny amounts of jobs, and enrich those in the Epstein files.” It’s a provocative line, but one that underscores the Greens’ determination to offer a real alternative.
The road to 2029 is still long, and British politics is nothing if not unpredictable. But the Green Party’s current trajectory suggests that the days of unchallenged Labour dominance on the left may be numbered. With a charismatic leader, a clear critique of the political establishment, and a growing base of young supporters, the Greens are making their case—seat by seat, speech by speech, and poll by poll.
Whether this momentum will hold remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: the left in Britain is no longer a one-party affair. And for the first time in a generation, voters who want real change may have more than one credible choice at the ballot box.