Could there be trouble brewing over Your Party’s position on Nato? At The World Transformed in Manchester, Zarah Sultana, the party’s co-founder, proudly displayed her anti-Nato credentials. It was a point of difference the Independent MP for Coventry South was very keen to draw with Zack Polanski, whose Green Party is biting at the heels of Sultana’s new party.
“I have massive respect for Zack,” Sultana told delegates, “but we come from very different political traditions.” A key difference, she added, is on anti-imperialism. “On the Green Party’s own website, it says it recognises that Nato has an important role, ensuring that its member states can respond to threats to their security,” Sultana said. “I’m sorry, you cannot greenwash Nato; the socialist position is that we must leave Nato immediately.” Eyebrows were raised by some Your Party insiders as no official policies have been decided yet (this will be done in Liverpool at the party’s founding conference at the end of November).
On Sunday morning, Polanski was asked about the Greens’ position on Nato by Victoria Derbyshire. When asked if the UK should withdraw from Nato immediately – Sultana’s position – Polanski said, “not immediately. The world is in turmoil, we need to make sure our country is defended.” The Greens’ populist leader later added that he would remove the UK from Nato eventually, but only “once we have created an alternative alliance with our European neighbours.”
Polanski’s stance on Nato was shared widely on X, including by Adnan Hussain, Sultana’s colleague in the Independent Alliance and Your Party. “I think Zack has a very sensible approach to this question,” Hussain posted.
This is not the first time that Hussain and Sultana have ostensibly disagreed. Their stances on trans rights do not seem to align. But as Your Party has made clear, it currently has no party lines – and any disagreements will be ironed out at conference. The Pygge wonders: who will members side with on Nato?
[Further reading: Exclusive: Your Party will only have one leader under draft guidance]
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