Working with Action Network, a digital event and campaign platform, the Green Party hosted “An Evening with Zack Polanski” at Brighton’s St. Augustine Art and Events Centre. With a lineup of top Green officials including Brighton and Hove MP Sian Berry, Deputy Leader Rachel Millward and Polanski himself gracing the stage, Brightonians flocked to the cramped church hall.
Shortly after Polanski arrived on stage, it became clear what sets him apart from his rivals. He has an authenticity to his character that makes him feel trustworthy and reliable, he doesn’t tell anecdotes about his dad being a “toolmaker” or fumble around with footballs outside the Commons. He says what he means and isn’t afraid to call out the nonsense of mainstream politics.
A membership to rival the rest
Elected as leader in September 2025, Zack Polanski has proven a fast and popular hit, with party membership increasing by over 45% during his first month as leader. Their membership stands at over 175,000 meaning the Greens have gained 100,000 members since Polanski’s tenure as leader began.
The 2024 General Election saw the Green’s gain 3 new MPs, even winning the former Tory safe seat North Herefordshire with a majority of 5,000 votes. This is made more impressive still by the fact that 2024 represented the most disproportionate gap between the share of the vote and seats won since records began. The voting system has not changed and will continue to penalise smaller parties, but shifting popularity may shake up the current two-party structure of The Commons.
Amongst the biggest struggles for Greens is the common attitude that voting won’t make a difference due to First Past the Post (FPTP). In 2024, 30% of tactical voters said they wanted to vote Green but redirected their vote elsewhere. However, the hope for many supporters is that the Green’s 9.3% increase in the share of the vote in polls since 2024 will continue to bolster faith in the party. With strong polling and unprecedented membership figures, the tactical voting trap may be a worry of the past for Green.
Labour’s loss is Green’s win
Since the ousting of Jeremy Corbyn from the Labour Party, Starmer has presided over a purging of socialism replaced by flag waving and a shift to the centre right. It’s a rebrand that makes little sense. Whilst Reform gain ground on the right and the Tories drop in the polls, saturating the centre right with Blairite policy appears a weak opposition to a strong enemy.
By attempting to flog themselves to voters on the right, Labour is alienating their core voters whilst simultaneously preaching to pockets of the electorate who are decisively Reform. Along with this, Starmer’s insistence on Israel’s “right to defend itself” and funding of 41 Labour MPs by the Israeli Lobby sits poorly with an increasingly pro Palestine public.
Starmer’s failings act as a highlighter for Polanski’s strengths. Self-describing as an “eco populist”, Zack Polanski has brought a shift in attitudes from the electorate towards the Green Party. Previously perceived as a single-issue environmental party, his rebranded focus on wealth inequality, fighting Reform and strong solidarity with Palestine has pushed them into the forefront of left-wing politics.
Is it just a pipe dream?
Appearing on “The Rest is Politics” podcast with former Tory MP Rory Stuart and Blairite spin doctor turned podcaster Alistair Campbell, Polanski proposed the abolishment of austerity-driving fiscal rules. His economic policy is driven by public ownership, redistributive wealth taxes and investing in renewable energy sources. However, when asked about the cost of plans and the impact on debt he was seen to be struggling.
Stuart and Campbell chased the numbers behind Polanski’s politics, rather than hearing out the ideological value to it. Speaking at the Green Party community gathering in Brighton Polanski commented, “Rory and the entire establishment, your version of the economy, the neoliberal version of the economy, from Margaret Thatcher right through to the 14 years of Conservative austerity, now to Labour austerity has completely failed this country”.
To continue their path to electoral relevance a reinforced and media proof outline of their economic vision is required. Though it must be said, the bar is low in terms of competency given Reform’s choppy book balancing and subsequent backtracking of their promise to cut £90bn in taxes if elected. The difference being Reform has the backing of billionaires, many of whom own our media, whilst the Greens pose an existential threat to the super rich who will be scheming to crush them.
With almost 5 years of tenure on the London Assembly, Zack Polanski is primed with political charisma and a personability that is unmatched by rival mainstream figures. He doesn’t rise to the media mocking his teeth, instead he’s seen hugging political allies at rallies and chatting about his supporter’s Labradors.
He is the leader of choice for those wishing for a fairer, greener and progressive society.
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