The Green party's ruling executive committee has turned down a request to delay its imminent annual conference so leader Zack Polanski could focus on campaigning in the Holborn and St Pancras byelection.
Party officials said the formal request to the committee came from staffers who worried that holding a conference a week before the poll would dilute campaign resources. The Guardian reported that the party leader himself was understood to have wanted the postponement.
The conference, an annual gathering where members debate policy and internal matters, was scheduled to take place in the week immediately preceding the byelection for the seat vacated by Keir Starmer. Organisers and campaign teams had been weighing whether proceeding with the event would hamper the Greens’ ability to concentrate on a high-profile London contest.
Members of the executive committee voted against the postponement, effectively maintaining the conference timetable. The decision leaves the party to balance conference responsibilities with the resources and attention required for Polanski’s bid in the central London constituency.
The episode highlights tensions within smaller parties over how to allocate limited staff and volunteer capacity when national events coincide with pivotal local contests. With the committee’s refusal, the Greens will now proceed with the conference while also mounting their campaign in Holborn and St Pancras.