Looking at the original article in The Independent, it’s pretty clear he is not at all aiming for a pact with Labour. Only when “pressed” about one did he say explicitly he would consider it but never with current Labour-right… Which as you say is re-stating his stance of wanting to replace, not ally with Labour. It’s a diplomatic “no, we only ally with more like-minded people”.

The title from The Canary feels like it overstates the case, but it is still what Polanski said in the end. It does also more strongly push the idea that Labour going back to the left would be better for them than stating it with the original caveats, so I assume that’s deliberate.