Exclusive: Zack Polanski Says He Would Not Stand Against 'Wonderful' Diane Abbott

Zack Polanski will not run against Diane Abbott in any future general election, HuffPost UK can reveal.

The Green Party leader has previously suggested he could stand in the Labour veteran’s Hackney North and Stoke Newington seat as he bids to become an MP for the first time.

He said he would consider running in Hackney, Tottenham and Walthamstow to capitalise in the “surge” in support for the Greens.

Left-winger Abbott, who has represented her seat since 1987, now sits as an independent after losing the Labour Party whip in a row over anti-Semitism.

But speaking to HuffPost UK this week, Polanski appeared to backtrack on his previous comments and said that he would not want to challenge Abbott.

“I think Diane Abbott’s wonderful, and I’d be highly unlikely to run against her,” he told HuffPost UK.

He said he’s more likely to compete against David Lammy, the deputy prime minister and justice secretary who has been the Labour MP for Tottenham since 2000.

Polanski also said he would consider running against Stella Creasy, the Labour MP for Walthamstow.

The next general election is expected to take place in 2029.

Polanski also appeared to confirm that he will stand to be re-elected Green Party when his current term runs out.

Under the party’s rules, a leader’s term can only last for two years before members are given another vote on who should be in charge.

Polanski told HuffPost UK that he “imagines” he will be will run to be leader for a second term.

Polanski also insisted he was not in a “hurry” to be an MP any time soon.

Pointing to the Greens’ rapid increase in membership after it surged to 170,000 late last year, Polanski added: “A Green Party can be and will be successful, whether its leaders [are] inside parliament or outside.

“I want to represent a constituency because I also think that’s another set of skills I can bring to a party, but actually I see that as a separate role to being the leader of a party, which is actually to champion all the brilliant candidates we’ve got across the country.”