The Greens, Reform and the end of two-party politics?
4/6/202624 min
In part two of our interview, Kiran Stacey speaks to the political scientist Prof Rob Ford about the voters Labour and the Conservatives are losing to the Greens and Reform, and how May’s elections could play out. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/politicspod
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First 90 secondsSpeaker 0· Soundbite0:00
This is The Guardian.
Kiran Stacey· Host0:01
Hello. If you haven't already, please go back and listen to the last episode of Politics Weekly. We recorded an interview with the political scientist and academic Rob Ford, who has written an excellent book about the 2024 general election. We covered so much that we've decided to split our interview up over two episodes. This one is part two. I hope you enjoy.
Speaker 2· Soundbite0:30
[upbeat music] The Labour Party is the only party that can unite our country and our communities, and we will line up together in that fight against the extremes of the left and the right.
Speaker 3· Soundbite0:42
[audience applauding] We are all ships rising on a turquoise tide, headed ever closer towards winning the next general election.
Speaker 4· Soundbite0:54
[audience cheering] There is no hope for the Conservative Party. It is not going to turn its fortunes around. It is not even going to be in opposition after the next general election.
Speaker 0· Soundbite1:04
This is not a unique event. This is happening right across England and Wales, that people are saying they're not leaving the Labour Party, the Labour Party has left them.
Kiran Stacey· Host1:12
In part one, Rob, we talked in detail with you about Labour and Reform. I want to get now onto talking about the Greens. Zach Polanski became their new leader in England and Wales in September 2025, and since then, he's trebled the party's membership from sixty-six