Green Party to shift leftwards after landslide win by new leader Zack Polanski
The Green Party is set to shift its politics leftwards under new leader Zack Polanski, after he won a landslide victory in the party’s leadership contest.
Mr Polanski, who spoke of wanting to shift the party’s politics towards “eco-populism” during the leadership race, could offer a fresh headache to Sir Keir Starmer’s Government from the political left.
The new Green leader warned “we are here to replace you” in a message to the party of Government, during his victory speech.
He also hit out at the “charlatans” of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, while acknowledging many voters are drawn to the party as a result of feeling “hopeless”.
In his speech to Green members, London Assembly member Mr Polanski said: “If you’re feeling hopeless, if you’re feeling in despair, if you’re feeling politically homeless, there is a political home for you.”
The new leader also said his party would “take on power and wealth” in the UK.
Elsewhere, he added that he knew voters were “sick of working long hours and never feeling secure”.
Open to co-operation
He added: “They see water companies pumping sewage into our waters and charging us extra for the privilege, and they see how broken the old two-party system is, and we know this political space has been ripe for charlatans like Nigel Farage and Reform, millionaires who are pretending to serve working-class communities but are actually backed by the same billionaires who are destroying our democracies, our communities and our planet.”
The new leader claimed the Greens under his stewardship would “hold this Labour Government to account”.
During the leadership campaign, he suggested he is open to co-operating with former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s new party, an alliance which could provide united electoral challenge from the left to Sir Keir.
Mr Polanski added: “Because when we look at Keir Starmer and what this Government have been doing, whether it’s the two-child benefit cap, the disability cuts, the genocide in Gaza, my message to Labour is very clear: we are not here to be disappointed by you, we are not here to be concerned by you, we’re here to replace you.”
Mr Polanski saw off a joint ticket bid by two of the party’s MPs, Ellie Chowns and Adrian Ramsay, for the party leadership.
He won with a vote of 20,411 members, a vast majority over the 3,705 votes cast for Mr Ramsay and Ms Chowns.
However, turnout in the election appeared to be less than a third of the party’s numbers.
Green Party chief executive Harriet Lamb told members at the leadership announcement the party’s numbers now stood at 68,500.
Losing co-candidates Mr Ramsay and Ms Chowns congratulated Mr Polanski on his victory.
In a joint statement, they added: “As MPs, we are fully committed to our crucial role: holding this Government to account and championing the policies needed for a fairer, greener and more liveable future.
“Together with Zack and deputy leaders Rachel Millward and Mothin Ali, we will continue to build on the extraordinary progress the Green Party has made, and take it further than ever before.”
Unconventional past
The vegan London Assembly member overwhelmingly beat joint candidates Adrian Ramsay and Ellie Chowns, despite the two MPs’ head start in terms of profile in the party.
The 42-year-old has been praised by allies as a strong communicator who has energised the grassroots, while Mr Ramsay and Ms Chowns accused him of using “polarising” language that only appeals to a “narrow segment” of the electorate.
Having worked as an actor and a hypnotherapist, Mr Polanski had an unusual path into politics.
He was born in Salford, Greater Manchester, as David Paulden, changing his name at 18 to differentiate himself from his stepfather, also named David.
Polanski was his grandfather’s original surname, which was changed to avoid antisemitism.
Hailing from a non-political family, the young Mr Polanski’s political awakening began while studying drama in Atlanta, Georgia, where he witnessed inequality, racism and homophobia.
After working for community projects supporting homeless people and migrants and performing in politically themed theatre productions in the UK, he sought a more formal avenue for change.
He joined the Liberal Democrats in 2016 and stood as a councillor in London, putting that party allegiance down to his support for proportional representation.
But hearing the Greens’ stance on refugee rights made him switch allegiances a year later and he was elected to the London Assembly in 2021.
Leadership bid
After being elected Green Party deputy leader in 2022, Mr Polanski surprised the party hierarchy by launching his leadership bid in May.
His pugnacious communication style and social media savvy saw his campaign quickly gain traction, with his video announcing his #BackZack leadership campaign garnering 1.5 million views on X.
An incident that has dogged him and reared its head again when he announced his leadership intentions is a 2013 Sun article entitled “TIT-NOTISED Can you really THINK your boobs bigger?”
The journalist, who posed as a client, wrote that Mr Polanski, then working as a hypnotherapist at a practice in London’s Harley Street, boosted her bust size through hypnotherapy.
Mr Polanski has apologised for the experiment, which he said he did not charge for and was misrepresented by the newspaper.
Throughout a sometimes fractious campaign, he has urged the Greens to be “bold” and pushed what he brands as a mass-membership “eco-populist” movement, while his rivals emphasised a need to appeal to a wide range of voters.
Generating headlines as effectively as Nigel Farage’s Reform UK has been one of his stated aims, as well as providing a haven for progressive voters disappointed by Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour.
His acceptance speech on Tuesday in London, Mr Polanski vowed to “replace” Sir Keir’s Government as he promised a “political home” for voters disillusioned with the political establishment.
While Mr Ramsay and Ms Chowns were seen as continuity candidates, Mr Polanski’s victory will push the Greens to the left.
It comes at what the Greens’ leadership describes as a pivotal time for the party as it aims to help create the next government amid the crumbling of the two-party system.
His win also raises questions over the future of the left as Mr Polanski hopes his populist agenda will draw voters away from Labour.
Hints at an electoral pact with former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and ex-Labour MP Zarah Sultana’s new political group, currently known as Your Party, could cause an even greater headache for Sir Keir.
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This is good news. Whether or not you support the Greens, politics needs people who will speak out and be heard. The Labour has become a mouthpiece for its leader and spin doctors, without any free speech tolerated. The PMs are hand-picked for their subservience to the leader. But this is bad because democracy enables other voices with other solutions to be heard. We get precious little of this with Starmer in charge. That’s why things have gone so badly wrong for the Labour Party. The problem exists to a lesser extent with Welsh Labour, too. There are a few… Read more »
He (polanski) hasnt said anything plaid cymru haven’t already said. Not sure Polanski has anything to offer us in Wales. But its interesting to note that while he now seems to be a devoted disciple of Jeremy Corbyn it wasnt that long ago he was publicly denouncing the same Jeremy corbyn.
This is the moment of truth. Will the left-left jump to the Greens and help create a genuine socialist political force that can work in partnership with a centre-left Labour party and the Dems to keep the Refcon alliance out of power in 2029. Or will they follow the Pied Piper of Islington to a politically powerless wilderness, and yet again (in repeat of 2017 and 2019) condemn the UK to another five years of right-wing extremism. My money is on the second outcome, because the protests will be much more fun with the Tories back in power. Until they… Read more »
I wish Zack All the best.More bad news and fewer votes for Starmer which is good thing.
Interesting to note that while he now seems to be a devoted disciple of Jeremy Corbyn – and seems to want to dissolve the greens into Corbyn’s new party – it wasnt that long ago he was publicly denouncing the same Jeremy corbyn. Either way its difficult to see what the ‘England & Wales’ green party – or Corbyn’s new party – can offer Wales that isnt already being offered by plaid cymru (indeed being primarily england based parties they are likely to offer Wales a lot less)