With Greens polling second, will May 7th be execution day?

William Cash | 14th March 2026 | Comment, Editor's Pick, Politics
Photo by Finnbarr Webster/Getty
Photo by Finnbarr Webster/Getty

The Greens surge into second place in the polls confirms that the two-party system is no longer fit for purpose. But can Starmer and Badenoch survive execution on May 7th? 

With the Green Party now beating Labour into second place in a new poll by YouGov, nobody talks about a two-party system any more. Following Hannah Spencer’s sensational win at Gorton and Denton, the Greens are up four points to 21%, snapping at the heels of Reform.  Anthony Wells, head of polling from YouGov, has said that this is because the Greens – at least to younger people, and seemingly some traditionally Labour Muslim communities – now offers a viable political option and is less of a wasted or protest vote. The YouGov poll puts Reform UK on 23%, Greens on 21%, Labour and the Tories tied on 16, both down two, and the Lib Dems remaining on 14%. The poll makes the Greens the most popular party with all voters under 50. Even more remarkably, a staggering 49% of 18-24 year olds would back the Greens which must be putting considerable fear in Labour MPs, not the party supported lowering the voting age to sixteen. Writing in the Guardian, Green leader Zack Polanski has said tha...

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