Britain’s armed forces face significant reductions under the Green Party’s ‘non-offensive defence strategy,’ which calls for slashing the defence budget, downsizing the Army, and eliminating the nuclear deterrent.
Zack Polanski advocates progressively reallocating defence funds toward peace promotion and addressing climate and ecological threats. The strategy emphasizes responding to any attack on Britain with a proportional and legal response.
Key Policy Elements
The ‘Peace, Security and Defence’ policy outlines a non-offensive approach that prioritizes global peace through dialogue, diplomacy, and trust-building. It states: ‘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.’
On terrorism, the document specifies: ‘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.’
Additional reforms include raising the minimum recruitment age for the armed forces from 16 to 18 or older. The party rejects deterrence strategies and plans to dismantle nuclear weapons, cancel the Trident programme, remove foreign nuclear weapons from UK soil, ban nuclear-related exports, and prohibit nuclear-armed ships in territorial waters.
Criticism from Major Parties
Reform UK, Conservatives, and Labour denounce the proposals as reckless and naive. Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge describes the policy as suited for a ‘fantasy world’ that leaves Britain vulnerable. He states: ‘Polanski needs to realise that deterrence keeps the peace and strength prevents conflict. 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.’
Reform MP Danny Kruger warns the plans would weaken the UK amid global instability, adding that ambiguity toward groups like Hamas and Al-Qaeda risks public safety and national security.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer criticizes the Greens as ‘weak on NATO and soft on Putin.’ A Labour source calls the approach ‘reckless and dangerously naive,’ particularly with Ukraine’s ongoing conflict.
Broader Green Party Positions
The strategy aligns with other party aims, including legalizing all drugs like heroin and crack cocaine to enhance human relationships and creativity. The policy also supports decriminalizing sex work and lifting restrictions on sexually explicit material, except those protecting children.
A Green Party source confirms these represent long-standing aims, distinct from the party’s costed 2024 manifesto.
