Bartley sums up why voters abandoned Labour for the Greens

Speaking on Politics London, former Greens co-leader Jonathan Bartley summed up why voters abandoned Labour:

Jonathan Bartley: “Green voters.. want nationalisation.. they want whats happened in Gaza to be called out as genocide.. they want fresh economic thinking.. is there going to actually be any change with Burnham?” #politicslondon pic.twitter.com/NpipCehDHb

— Saul Staniforth (@SaulStaniforth) June 21, 2026

Greens — What voters want

Bartley was the co-leader of the Green Party from 2016 to 2021. In that time, he co-led with Caroline Lucas and Sîan Berry.

When asked what’s “best for London right now?”, Bartley responded:

Definitely not Keir Starmer. Definitely, I think, Andy Burnham is an upgrade. Now… I’m hoping that we’re going to take a step in the right direction. I know in Lambeth, we desperately need more funding, exactly what [Barry Gardiner – Labour MP – is] talking about, council housing, not just affordable housing.

When asked if a new Labour leader will provide that, Bartley answered:

Well, that’s what I don’t know, and that’s what I’m worried about, because Barry did mention Thames Water, for example. We’ve heard about ‘public control’ but not nationalisation and I think that’s a very important point.

If you’re talking about trying to win back Green voters to Labour, the Green voters, as we understand it, want nationalisation. They don’t want the profits from companies still being sucked out of the system.

We covered this previously, noting that although outlets claimed he backed ‘renationalisation’, Burnham actually talked about “stronger public control”. The Times would later report:

He has also spoken of stronger public control over utility companies. “I use that phrase advisedly. People then shorthand it as nationalisation; it’s not the same thing,” he said, pointing to Greater Manchester’s bus services, which are run by private operators.

Winning back Greens

Bartley also said:

They want what’s happened in Gaza to be called out as genocide, and Andy Burnham has not done that.

We covered this too, writing:

The Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) has written to the candidates in the Makerfield by-election – but only the Green Party candidate has responded so far. Specifically, they’re asking what each candidate will do to “uphold the rights of Palestinian people”. Green Party candidate Sarah Wakefield has now responded, seemingly making her the first to do so. Front-runner Andy Burnham, meanwhile, is still refusing to get off the fence.

In his own words, Burnham answered:

I can’t judge things of that enormity from where I am as mayor of Greater Manchester.

Burnham attracted criticism for the above as he was functionally running to become the prime minister when he said it.

The more things change…

Bartley summed up his point as follows, explaining that voters:

want fresh economic thinking, not just a simple sign-up to the existing economic rules. And they don’t want Shabana Mahmood as Home Secretary any longer…

is there actually going to be any change with Burnham?

Current Green leader Zack Polanski also criticised Burnham’s reported decision to retain Mahmood:

The architect of Labour’s cruel plans on settled status and persecution of free speech and protest stays in place.

More of the same.

Only the Greens can take on failing Labour in Greater Manchester.https://t.co/AG52NPwyAS

— Zack Polanski (@ZackPolanski) June 19, 2026

And as we reported:

The argument for keeping Mahmood in place is that her hardline stance will help them win back Reform voters. The problem with this argument is that the strategy has already failed. Matching Reform’s rhetoric tells the public that Farage was ahead of the curve, and if the man is such a political visionary, why not back him to form a government?

…the more they stay the same

As we’ve extensively reported, the signs aren’t good that Burnham will deliver the sort of change that this country needs. And if he fails, it’s not unrealistic to think Labour could be finished as a political force.

The Greens understand this, and so do the voters who’ve flocked to them over the past 12 months.

Featured image via the Canary

By Willem Moore