UK political class ‘poisoned by wealth’, says Zack Polanski as he sets out plan to tax assets of richest 1% – as it happened

Green party leader says a ‘tiny few have taken our wealth and power’ in address to Green party conference. This live blog is closed

In his Radio 5 Live interview Zack Polanski was asked how the Greens would defend the UK given his support for leaving Nato.

He said he was not arguing for leaving Nato “right now”. His argument was that under Donald Trump the US was not a reliable partner, and so it was time for UK to work with its European neighbours on security.

Matt Chorley put it to him that, without relying on the US, and without having a nuclear deterrent, Britain would not be able to stop Russia invading European countries.

Polanski replied:

That’s why we have to start from first principles. And I think the first principle is looking how do we build peace and diplomacy in the world.

I just disagree with Keir Starmer that strength comes from might. That’s actually how you have an arms race. And we’ve been dangerously close in this country and in the world before to literally complete annihilation and utter destruction.

So I think the first place to start, from first principles is, how do we de-escalate? How do we neutralise existing threats and threats that are growing quicker? And I think we do that through dialogue.

Polanski cited the ANC in South Africa, the civil rights movement in the US, and the peace process in Northern Ireland as examples of how “sworn enemies” could make peace.

Cover photo:  Zack Polanski speaking to the Green party conference in Bournemouth. Photograph: Andrew Matthews/PA