Britain’s armed forces would see drastic cuts and the nuclear deterrent would be scrapped under the Green Party‘s official ‘non-offensive defence strategy’.
Zack Polanski would ‘progressively reapportion’ the defence budget and respond to any attack on Britain with a ‘proportional and legal response’, newly unearthed proposals show.
The policies seen by the Daily Mail add that the Greens believe it ‘should not be a crime‘ to ‘have sympathy with’ the aims of terrorist groups such as Hamas and Al-Qaeda.
Reform UK, the Conservatives and Labour all attacked the Greens ‘fantasy’ defence policies, branding them ‘reckless and dangerously naive’.
Meanwhile Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer also took aim at the Greens over their stance on defence in the Commons, branding Mr Polanski’s party ‘weak on NATO and soft on Putin‘.
Titled ‘Peace, Security and Defence’, the policy states: ‘Green Party will develop a non-offensive defence strategy that will harmonise with our strategy to promote greater global peace and common security through dialogue, diplomacy and the building of trust.
‘The defence budget will be progressively reapportioned to peace promotion and security priorities, to better combat the real and present threats we face as a result of the Climate and Ecological emergency.’
Under the heading ‘terrorism’, it adds: ‘It should not be a crime simply to have sympathy with the aims of an organisation, though it should be a crime to aid and abet criminal acts or to deliberately fund such acts.’
Zack Polanski would drastically cut Britain’s armed forces and scrap the nuclear deterrent under the Green Party ‘s official ‘non-offensive defence strategy’
Zack Polanski and Gorton and Denton Green Party candidate Hannah Spencer pose for a picture on January 30
Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge said the Greens have written a defence policy for ‘a fantasy world’ that would ‘leave us vulnerable to our adversaries’.
‘Polanski needs to realise that deterrence keeps the peace and strength prevents conflict,’ he told the Mail. ‘And saying it shouldn’t be a crime to sympathise with terrorist aims is dangerously naïve.
‘That blurs moral lines and undermines the social cohesion we depend on. We need strong Armed Forces, a credible nuclear deterrent and zero tolerance for extremism.’
Meanwhile Reform MP Danny Kruger said the Green plans would ‘leave the United Kingdom weaker and more exposed’ at a time of international instability.
He added: ‘As for the Greens’ concerning attitude towards Hamas and Al-Qaeda, these organisations are responsible for appalling acts of violence and any ambiguity toward them risks undermining public safety and national security.’
The internal documents state that, among a programme of reforms, the Greens would raise the minimum age of recruitment to the armed forces from 16 to ’18 years or older’.
On Britain’s nuclear deterrent, the policy states that the Greens ‘reject a deterrence strategy’ and suggests that under Mr Polanski the government would pursue policies that could damage the special relationship with the United States.
The policy adds that the Greens will: ‘Immediately begin the process of dismantling our nuclear weapons, cancel the Trident programme and remove any foreign nuclear weapons from the UK, ban the export of nuclear weapons related material, [and] ban nuclear armed ships from UK territorial waters.’
The Green’s official ‘non-offensive defence strategy’ says the party would ‘progressively reapportion’ the defence budget and respond to any attack on Britain with a ‘proportional and legal response’
The policies seen by the Daily Mail add that the Greens believe it ‘should not be a crime’ to ‘have sympathy with’ the aims of terrorist groups such as Hamas and Al-Qaeda
A Labour source said: ‘The Green Party’s approach to national security is reckless and dangerously naive, especially as Ukraine enters its fourth year under Russia’s illegal invasion.’
It comes after the Mail revealed that illegal migrants would be given a free house and paid a wage with no requirement to work under the Greens plans for ‘a world without borders‘.
Mr Polanski’s party also plans to legalise all drugs including heroin and crack cocaine because they ‘enhance human relationships and human creativity’.
And the Greens official policy also states that sex work ‘should be decriminalised’ and restrictions placed on sexually explicit material ‘ended’, except for those aimed at protecting children.
A Green source said the policy proposals are different from the party’s manifesto, which is costed, but admitted that they are a ‘long-standing policy and aim’ of the party.
The Green Party declined to comment but pointed to its 2024 manifesto.
