The Greens hope to take their first seat in the Senedd at next year’s election
Zack Polanski pictures days after being named the new leader of the Green Party(Image: PA)
The new leader of the Green Party has said Reform UK is using Wales as a “stepping stone” to UK Government and that it holds Wales in “contempt”. Zack Polanski, appointed this week, said by refusing to name a leader in Wales the party led by Nigel Farage show “their contempt for this country”.
Mr Polanski, a member of the London Assembly, has visited Wales as the party tries to secure its first Senedd seat. Polling shows they stand a chance of taking one of the six seats for the Caerdydd Penarth constituency.
Speaking before the visit he said: “Reform are treating Wales as nothing more than stepping stone to Downing Street. They’ve even refused to name a Welsh leader such is their contempt for this country.
“Voters literally have no idea who their pick for First Minister would be for next year’s crucial Senedd elections.
“The Reform UK leader makes up nonsense. He even claimed he would be reopening coal mines when the future for communities and jobs in Wales is the move toward sustainable renewable energy.
“Farage said Reform would re-open the blast furnace at Port Talbot – something workers know is physically impossible.
“It is an insult to the people of Wales to offer false hopes and lies. Wales, for Reform, is just a place to mop up salaries for his politicians on the way to Downing Street.
“Where they offer division Greens offer actual solutions to people’s concerns. Greens in the Senedd will bring in rent controls, bring water into public ownership, and bring down people’s bills,” he said. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here.
Reform UK has been holding its party conference in Birmingham this week.
Speaking at that its sole Senedd member, Laura Anne Jones, who defected from the Conservatives over the summer, refused to rule out scrapping the Senedd altogether.
She told conference: “We need to try and make the Senedd work for the people of Wales but if it doesn’t we need to question whether the Senedd is really adding value to Wales.”
Following the conference she told BBC Wales: “So if it gets to a point where we, not even us, can make it work for Wales then we have to question why it’s there.
“As a party we are not ruling anything out.
“If you lived in Wales would you like to see it carry on if it’s not working for Wales?
“We want to make the Senedd work for the people of Wales first.
“That’s our priority.”
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