Corbyn’s party will ‘co-operate’ with the Greens – and ‘there is no rivalry’

Jeremy Corbyn, the former Labour leader, has insisted there is “no competition or rivalry” between his new political party and the Greens.

Corbyn launched a still unnamed party with Zarah Sultana, the independent MP for Coventry South, earlier this year.

This week, Zack Polanski was elected leader of the Green Party – and he sought to distance himself from an electoral pact with Corbyn.

Asked about Polanski’s election, the ex-Labour leader said: “I know Zack, I have been in touch with him. 

“I congratulated him, and you know what? We have got 700,000 people signed up for yourparty.uk. That is actually considerably larger than Green Party membership. 

“But it’s not a competition or a rivalry. 

“There are different emphases on policies there; we will be co-operating. 

“We will be working together in the future, but our party will get its formal conference launch in November.”

Corbyn was also asked about allegations of a rift with his co-leader Sultana.

He didn’t strongly dismiss them, but said the pair are “working very hard on that and doing public meetings all over the country”.

“I don’t know where these suggestions come from,” he said.