The Green Party has been accused of threatening the safety of nurses and domestic abuse victims with their plan to repeal crucial public order laws. The radical left-wing party has pledged to repeal the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act, a piece of Tory legislation brought in to help curb the chaos of Extinction Rebellion's public disorder.

While the party insists that scrapping the Bill would boost civil liberties for protesters, it would also repeal other key protections for some of the most vulnerable Britons. The Act doubled the maximum sentence for assaulting emergency workers such as police officers, paramedics and firefighters; and changed the rules on prosecuting common assault in domestic abuse cases. It also brought in fresh measures to prevent voyeurism offences while a woman is breastfeeding, and strengthened offences around arranging child sexual abuse.

The Greens' manifesto policy was slammed by the Labour Party chairman Anna Turley, who told the Express it raises "serious questions about whose side they are on, and about the consequences for public safety and victims' rights".

She said: "Protecting victims and the people who put themselves in danger to keep us safe should be a baseline, not a bargaining chip. The proposals set out by the Green Party would roll back hard-won safeguards for domestic abuse survivors and emergency workers, weakening protections when they are most needed. This Labour Government is clear that justice policy must stand firmly on the side of victims, support frontline staff and uphold public safety."

The Green Party's policies will inevitably come under harsher scrutiny as they climb in the polls under the new leadership of Zack Polanski.

According to polls, they are set to put on a strong showing in the upcoming Gorton and Denton by-election, with some bookmakers suggesting they may pip Reform to win the seat off Labour.

The party's 2024 manifesto, written before Mr Polanski became leader, pledged to "Scrap the Police, Crime Sentencing and Courts Act, the Public Order Act and other legislation that erodes the right to protest and free expression."

In a further update in August last year, the party accused Labour of doubling down on the Tories' attacks on free speech, warning: "Fresh clauses in the Crime and Policing Bill propose even tighter controls on protest. These include banning face coverings, allowing police to force protestors on limited visas to leave the country if they receive a caution, and more severe restrictions on gatherings."

Ms Turley pointed out: "This isn't the first time that the Green Party's policies have fallen apart upon inspection, and follows a series of recent policy proposals from senior Green figures that have prompted concerns about their judgment and credibility.

"Just this week, Zack Polanski said he supported the UK leaving NATO and then suggested he'd negotiate with Vladimir Putin. The Party also called for free bus passes for under-22-year-olds in England, but couldn't say how they would fund it."

The Green Party was approached for comment.