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Zack Polanski has been elected leader of the Green Party of England and Wales – and his victory signals a decisive gear-shift in the party.
Polanski, formerly the Greens’ deputy leader and a London Assembly member, defeated co-leadership candidates Adrian Ramsay and Ellie Chowns by a landslide 20,411 votes to 3,705.
Ramsay and Chowns are two of the Greens’ four MPs, but their more cautious strategy – rooted in slow, patient growth – was decisively rejected by members in favour of Polanski’s bold, media-focused vision.
He calls it eco-populism: a movement to rival Reform UK’s ability to stir public sentiment, but with policies rooted in social justice, environmental protection, and fairness.
In his acceptance speech, Polanski highlighted two key priorities:
-
Nationalising the privatised water companies – after decades of pollution scandals and profiteering, Polanski says the industry must be brought back into public ownership to clean up rivers and seas, and to stop shareholders bleeding bill-payers dry.
-
Opposing the genocide in Gaza – at a time when most political leaders look the other way or make excuses for war crimes, Polanski has been clear: justice, peace, and human rights must come first.
During his campaign, he also announced a broader set of policies, signalling the kind of transformative leadership he hopes to bring:
-
Eco-populism and mass movement – using media-savvy communication to turn the Greens into a party of the people.
-
Wealth tax and redistribution – ensuring the rich, not ordinary people, fund the green transition.
-
Net zero strategy – framing climate action as a cost-of-living solution through initiatives like retrofitting homes.
-
Openness to left-wing alliances – building coalitions with other progressive groups and independents.
-
Corporate regulation and anti-oligarchy measures – challenging powerful corporations and protecting public interest.
-
Community organising and grassroots engagement – broadening participation beyond traditional political circles.
-
Support for LGBTIQA+ rights and intersectional justice – linking environmental and social justice.
-
Internal party democratization – reforming party structures for greater transparency and inclusion.
Polanski also brings a talent for communication – unsurprising for a former actor – and a willingness to be combative in the media.
That combination, coupled with policies that directly challenge vested interests, could give the Greens a louder and more relevant voice than ever before.
The election result marks a turning point. Instead of limiting itself to cautious growth in councils and a handful of parliamentary seats, the Green Party under Polanski looks set to embrace a mass movement approach.
His ambition is nothing less than to out-populist the populists – but with the facts and public interest on his side.
That could resonate with a public weary of privatisation scandals, climate inaction, and politicians who seem more interested in protecting corporations than people.
With Polanski at the helm, the Green Party just got a whole lot more interesting.
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Zack Polanski elected Green Party leader – and he’s coming out fighting
Share this post:
Zack Polanski has been elected leader of the Green Party of England and Wales – and his victory signals a decisive gear-shift in the party.
Polanski, formerly the Greens’ deputy leader and a London Assembly member, defeated co-leadership candidates Adrian Ramsay and Ellie Chowns by a landslide 20,411 votes to 3,705.
Ramsay and Chowns are two of the Greens’ four MPs, but their more cautious strategy – rooted in slow, patient growth – was decisively rejected by members in favour of Polanski’s bold, media-focused vision.
He calls it eco-populism: a movement to rival Reform UK’s ability to stir public sentiment, but with policies rooted in social justice, environmental protection, and fairness.
In his acceptance speech, Polanski highlighted two key priorities:
Nationalising the privatised water companies – after decades of pollution scandals and profiteering, Polanski says the industry must be brought back into public ownership to clean up rivers and seas, and to stop shareholders bleeding bill-payers dry.
Opposing the genocide in Gaza – at a time when most political leaders look the other way or make excuses for war crimes, Polanski has been clear: justice, peace, and human rights must come first.
During his campaign, he also announced a broader set of policies, signalling the kind of transformative leadership he hopes to bring:
Eco-populism and mass movement – using media-savvy communication to turn the Greens into a party of the people.
Wealth tax and redistribution – ensuring the rich, not ordinary people, fund the green transition.
Net zero strategy – framing climate action as a cost-of-living solution through initiatives like retrofitting homes.
Openness to left-wing alliances – building coalitions with other progressive groups and independents.
Corporate regulation and anti-oligarchy measures – challenging powerful corporations and protecting public interest.
Community organising and grassroots engagement – broadening participation beyond traditional political circles.
Support for LGBTIQA+ rights and intersectional justice – linking environmental and social justice.
Internal party democratization – reforming party structures for greater transparency and inclusion.
Polanski also brings a talent for communication – unsurprising for a former actor – and a willingness to be combative in the media.
That combination, coupled with policies that directly challenge vested interests, could give the Greens a louder and more relevant voice than ever before.
The election result marks a turning point. Instead of limiting itself to cautious growth in councils and a handful of parliamentary seats, the Green Party under Polanski looks set to embrace a mass movement approach.
His ambition is nothing less than to out-populist the populists – but with the facts and public interest on his side.
That could resonate with a public weary of privatisation scandals, climate inaction, and politicians who seem more interested in protecting corporations than people.
With Polanski at the helm, the Green Party just got a whole lot more interesting.
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