INTERVIEW: 'Ukip's divisive politics is driving voters to the Greens,' says party leader

GREEN Party leader Natalie Bennett believes voters are flocking to support her pro-European party as people rally against Ukip's "damaging and divisive" rhetoric on immigration.

By: Owen Bennett - Political Reporter

Published: Wed, May 14, 2014

Natalie Bennett, leader of the Green Party[EXPRESS]

I have seen a significant number of people saying 'I'm voting for the Green Party because I want to vote against Ukip'.

Natalie Bennett

Ms Bennett claims the rise of Nigel Farage's eurosceptic party, which is opposed to the free movement of people across the EU, has motivated pro-immigration supporters to pledge support for the Green Party in next week's European election.

The Green Party leader believes a European election poll published yesterday backs up this claim, with the Greens in fourth place on 10 per cent - three per cent ahead of the Lib Dems.

In an interview with Express.co.uk, Ms Bennett - who was born in Australia but moved to the UK in 1999 - also attacked the Tories, Labour and Lib Dems for trying to "out-Ukip Ukip" by chasing the anti-immigration vote.

She said: "There's been a very strong trend with the rise of the Ukip vote, there's a significant - I can't put numbers on this - but I have seen a significant number of people saying 'I'm voting for the Green Party because I want to vote against Ukip'.

"A lot of people don't really trust the political system, and like a lot of Ukip voters are concerned about corruption and about what difference will my vote make, but are saying now that Ukip's collecting all those votes I've got to get off the fence and vote Green - as that's the only way I show I'm opposed to everything Ukip is saying."

Ms Bennett said she and her party were "very angry about the race to the bottom rhetoric" on immigration led by Ukip.

She also accused the eurosceptic party of stirring up anti-immigration sentiment to such an extent Eastern Europeans living in the UK are becoming victims of "hate crimes".

Ms Bennett said: "The way Ukip have raised the immigration debate is not a good thing.

"I was in Great Yarmouth [in Norfolk] talking to an organisation that talks to Eastern Europeans living in that area - and this is anecdotal - but they are saying they have seen an increase in hate crime.

"Lots of it isn't being reported to the police, partly because victims are saying: 'That's how the British people feel and that's what we expect' because of what they are seeing in the media, because of what they are seeing from Ukip."

"It's extremely damaging and divisive.