UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Ex-Labour North of Tyne mayor Jamie Driscoll, and Your Party organiser, joins the Greens, citing long-term solutions for Britain’s political and economic challenges.
As reported by Peter Walker of The Guardian, the Green Party confirmed Jamie Driscoll has joined the party under Zack Polanski’s leadership.
The announcement comes after five Labour councillors in Brent, north London, defected to the Greens, citing disillusionment with Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership.
What did Jamie Driscoll say about joining the Greens and Britain’s political challenges?
Jamie Driscoll, the former Newcastle councillor and mayor from 2019 to 2024, departed the Labour Party in 2023 after the party blocked him from running again, later standing as an independent and coming in second behind Labour candidate Kim McGuinness.
He later took part in founding a new left-leaning party alongside former Labour MPs Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana, which became Your Party, but he ended his involvement after internal disputes and infighting hindered the project.
Mr Driscoll released a statement confirming, he had joined the Greens
“because I see an organisation that’s serious about running our country in the long-term interests of all our people.”
He added,
“Britain’s a mess. British politics is a mess and it’s not the fault of immigrants. Food prices, energy prices, housing prices are all too high. Our economy isn’t working for workers, it isn’t working for small businesses. It doesn’t have to be like this.”
What did Zack Polanski say about Jamie Driscoll joining the Greens?
The Greens have welcomed Jamie Driscoll in Newcastle, a key area where the party aims to strengthen its position in England’s local elections next May.
The party leader, Zack Polanski, said Mr Driscoll’s defection was
“another example of the Green surge sweeping across the country.”
He added,
“Jamie is a well-known political figure with a proven track record of delivering real change to people’s lives. People are looking for bold politics that offers hope rather than fear, and solutions rather than division. Newcastle Greens are growing fast because they’re delivering for their communities. It’s great to see Jamie Driscoll choosing to be part of a party that’s building real momentum from the ground up.”
Membership in the Greens has jumped to more than 180,000, up from nearly 70,000 when Mr Polanski became leader in September, with a new survey showing them four points ahead of Labour.
Several Labour-elected councillors have switched to the Greens, but these defections remain smaller than former Conservatives joining Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.
Like Mr Driscoll, several defectors had previously clashed with Labour. Following the five Brent councillors, the party said they were not reselected for next May’s elections.
What did the latest YouGov poll reveal about political party leaders?
A latest YouGov poll shows 26% of Britons hold a favourable view of Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, marking her highest rating recorded to date. It reveals just 18% of Britons have a favourable opinion of Keir Starmer, marking his lowest rating since becoming Labour leader.
The survey also shows 71% of Britons hold an unfavourable view of Chancellor Rachel Reeves, the highest level recorded for her to date. The recent data indicate increasing recognition of Zack Polanski, with 23% of respondents seeing him favorably and 29% unfavorably.
According to another YouGov poll, major political parties are expected to win the following seats:
- Reform UK: 311 seats
- Labour: 144 seats
- Conservatives: 45 seats
- Liberal Democrats: 78 seats
- SNP: 37 seats
- Greens: 7 seats
- Plaid Cymru: 6 seats
How many Tory Councillors have defected to Reform UK?
There has been a significant surge in Conservative councillors defecting to Reform UK, with more than 80 confirmed switches throughout the year.
During the Tory Party conference in October 2025, Reform UK announced that 20 Tory councillors had defected to their party.
Reports indicate that a majority of Reform UK’s current councillor base consists of former Conservatives. Specifically, one report from December 2025 noted that 616 (67%) of Reform’s 924 councillors are ex-Tories.
