Greens team up with Tories to kill the ‘progressive alliance’

There has been much talk in recent years about the prospect of a so-called ‘progressive alliance’ coming together to lock the Conservatives out of power. During the Brexit era commentators such as Neal Lawson and Polly Toynbee excitedly speculated on the electoral success a cross party coalition comprising Labour, the Liberal Democrat and Green parties could enjoy, based on their shared mutual values. Zoe Williams claimed of such a tactic: ‘when it works, it often looks more like a landslide’ while Caroline Lucas wrote an article titled ‘progressive alliances are the future of British politics.’

So as the dust settled on this month’s local elections Mr S was intrigued to see how such high minded rhetoric would fare up against the cold realities of executive power. To the consternation of Labour politicians first in London and then in Lancaster, the Greens have walked away from potential pacts with left-leaning parties to – in the words of one irate frontbencher – ‘jump into bed with the Tories.’ 

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