Green leaders say party must listen to Reform voters to confront inequality

The Story

Current Green party leader Zack Polanski and former leader Caroline Lucas have warned that the Greens should listen to the concerns of Reform UK voters in order to confront inequality. Speaking at a Compass conference in east London on Saturday, Polanski said Reform voters are different from their leaders and have been left behind by decades of austerity and government neglect. He argued the real problem is billionaires and multimillionaires, not migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats. Lucas, who was in the audience, said listening to Reform voters is a starting point and many of their concerns are legitimate, although the Greens would disagree on solutions. The party leaders also commented on the forthcoming Makerfield byelection on June 18, where Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham is seeking a return to parliament against a strong Reform challenge. Lucas said the byelection is “so consequential” because of Burnham’s support for proportional representation, which the Greens have long advocated. Polanski and Lucas did not call for the Green candidate, Sarah Wakefield, to withdraw from the race.

Key Facts

• Zack Polanski and Caroline Lucas spoke at a Compass conference in east London on May 30, 2026.
• Polanski said Reform voters have been left behind by austerity and successive governments, and the inequality problem is not small boat migrants but billionaires in private jets.
• Lucas said many Reform voters’ concerns are legitimate and the party should listen, while disagreeing on solutions.
• Latest polling shows 27% of the electorate would vote Reform in a general election.
• The Makerfield byelection will be held on June 18, with Andy Burnham facing a strong challenge from Reform.
• Reform won nearly 50% of votes in the constituency’s eight council wards in the May elections.
• Reform candidate Robert Kenyon has faced criticism for his social media posts.
• Reform also faces a vote squeeze from the new hard-right party Restore Britain, led by former Reform MP Rupert Lowe.
• Lucas did not suggest Green candidate Sarah Wakefield withdraw.

Conflicting Reports

No conflicting reports identified in the source article.

Still Unclear

No open questions identified in the source article.

Misconceptions

No widespread misconceptions addressed in the source article.

Key Figures

• Zack Polanski, current Green party leader
• Caroline Lucas, former Green party leader and MP
• Nigel Farage, Reform UK leader
• Andy Burnham, Greater Manchester mayor and candidate in Makerfield byelection
• Robert Kenyon, Reform UK candidate in Makerfield
• Rupert Lowe, former Reform MP and leader of Restore Britain
• Sarah Wakefield, Green party candidate in Makerfield

Sources: The Guardian