On September 2, 2025, Zack Polanski emerged as the new leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, sweeping to victory with a commanding 20,411 votes against former leaders Adrian Ramsay and Ellie Chowns, who garnered just 3,705. The result not only marks a decisive shift in the party’s direction, but also signals a new chapter in British left-wing politics, as Polanski pledges to make the Greens a bolder, more radical force and a true alternative to Labour.
Polanski, 42, is no stranger to reinvention. A London Assembly member and former hypnotherapist, he joined the Greens in 2017 and quickly rose through the ranks, becoming deputy leader in 2022. His campaign, launched four months prior to the vote, was centered on what he called “eco-populism”—a promise to make the party more assertive and radical, with a focus on economic justice, climate action, and social equality. According to The Telegraph, his background includes a stint as a hypnotherapist in London’s Harley Street, where he once participated in a controversial experiment involving hypnosis and body image. Polanski has since apologized, stating in 2019, “If it was 2019, I would have not done that article and if I had, I would have been stronger to condemn it.”
In his victory speech, Polanski addressed those feeling “hopeless” or “politically homeless,” declaring, “There is a political home for you. And I promise you, nothing will make you feel more inspired, more ready to get out there and more like we can turn our country around than joining the Green Party.” He emphasized inclusivity, telling supporters, “We listen to the poorest communities, whether they’re migrant communities, disabled communities, the trans community, working-class communities. Whoever needs us to have their back, we will be there.” (BBC)
Polanski’s leadership arrives at a time when the Greens are enjoying unprecedented momentum. Party membership has soared to a record 68,500, and the party quadrupled its parliamentary representation in the 2024 general election, jumping from one to four MPs. The Greens, alongside their Scottish and Northern Irish counterparts, secured 6.7% of the national vote—a historic high. Yet, as The Telegraph notes, the party’s polling remains modest at around 9%, only slightly up from last year’s election.
The new leader’s ambitions are anything but modest. Polanski aims for “at least 30 MPs at the next election” and has ruled out any coalition with Labour, making it clear he intends to challenge Sir Keir Starmer’s party head-on. “We are here to replace you,” he said to Labour, adding pointed criticism of Starmer’s leadership: “In Keir Starmer we’ve seen someone who got elected on the coattails of Jeremy Corbyn, who made lots of promises to protect communities, to bring about a left-wing change in this country, to stand up for some of the poorest communities. And what we’ve had in Keir Starmer is despicable in terms of the politics. It is someone who has sold those communities out.” (BBC)
Polanski’s sharp rhetoric extends beyond Labour. He has branded Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party as “charlatans” and insists that the Greens are the true patriots for advocating safe and legal routes for asylum seekers. “This country needs immigration,” he said to applause, describing migrants as “the backbone of the UK.” He also acknowledged the nation’s “problematic history,” but stressed, “we also have a beautiful history, a beautiful present, and a beautiful future of what we are when communities come together.”
His leftward tilt has drawn both praise and concern. Jeremy Corbyn, former Labour leader and now architect of a new left-wing party with Zarah Sultana, congratulated Polanski on X (formerly Twitter), calling his win a “stunning victory” and proclaiming, “Real change is coming. I look forward to working with you to create a fairer, kinder world.” Corbyn’s endorsement is significant, as many see Polanski’s rise as reminiscent of Corbyn’s own insurgent leadership victory a decade ago. Owen Jones, a prominent left-wing columnist, has argued that Polanski is the Greens’ best hope to rally disillusioned Labour voters.
Still, not everyone in the Greens is thrilled about the party’s shift. Some worry that a hard-left approach could alienate middle-class supporters, particularly in southern England. During the campaign, Ramsay and Chowns accused Polanski of risking the party’s recent electoral gains with a “polarising, strident” approach. In a joint statement after the result, however, they pledged to support the new leader: “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.”
Polanski’s leadership is not without controversy. Unlike most parties, the Greens’ leaders are mandated to communicate only policies voted on by the membership. Yet, during his campaign, Polanski suggested the UK should consider leaving the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato), especially in light of Donald Trump’s second presidential term and what he described as the U.S. president’s “out of control” behavior. “Donald Trump is absolutely out of control and he is threatening to annexe Greenland, so I think... we need to stop relying on that special relationship,” he said. Labour’s Ellie Reeves responded sharply, insisting that “the public rightly expect responsible and measured responses from all political leaders” and demanded clarity on the Greens’ position regarding Nato and the war in Ukraine.
Polanski has also taken bold stances on national identity and patriotism. In an interview with Sky News, he suggested that waving the St George’s Cross flag could be experienced as intimidation for some communities, especially during times of heightened tension. “I think people can experience it as intimidation and I think if those communities are intimidated, again the patriotic thing to do would be to have those conversations with your neighbours, have those conversations with the communities,” he said. He contrasted this with what he sees as divisive rhetoric from Farage and a lack of condemnation from the Prime Minister.
On domestic policy, Polanski has promised to nationalize water companies and to hold the government accountable, especially on issues like Gaza, where he accused Starmer of complicity in “genocide.” He has also promised to maintain the party’s commitment to grassroots democracy, stating that electoral coalitions or policy collaborations with other parties, including Corbyn’s new formation, would be decided by the Green membership.
Polanski’s leadership style is expected to be more combative and personality-driven than that of his predecessors. “Far too often we have been on the sidelines and Farage has been in the centre of the conversation,” he told The Telegraph. “We need to challenge Farage and his charlatan MPs as the climate deniers and the billionaire protectors that they are.”
As the Green Party looks to the future under Polanski, the stakes are high. With a surging membership, a bolder platform, and a leader unafraid to challenge both Labour and the Conservatives, the Greens are poised to test whether a radical vision can translate into real political power. The coming months will reveal whether Polanski’s gamble pays off or whether the party’s new direction risks fracturing its delicate coalition of supporters.
