A prominent Green party member has unexpectedly launched a campaign to challenge the current party leaders, Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay, advocating for a transformation into a radical, mass-membership “eco-populism” movement. Zack Polansi, serving as the party’s deputy leader since 2022 and a member of the London assembly, is set to challenge Denyer and Ramsay this summer, despite their successful leadership which led the party to its best-ever general election result last year, securing four seats.
Polansi believes that although Denyer and Ramsay have done a good job, the Green party needs to rise to the challenge posed by Reform UK, which has a significantly larger membership and achieved notable successes in recent local elections. He argues that there is a gap in politics for a bold and clear voice that can engage the public, contrasting the current approach of being “sensible and professional,” which he believes is insufficient for the party to grow its membership and appeal.
The Green party in England and Wales has about 60,000 members, a fraction of Reform UK’s more than 220,000 members. However, Polansi is convinced that more people align with the Green party’s policies, suggesting a visibility issue rather than a discrepancy in political alignment. He advocates for a shift towards “eco-populism,” emphasizing storytelling and clear communication while remaining grounded in evidence and science.
Polansi’s background includes a past with the Liberal Democrats and a shift to the Green party in 2017, with a more confrontational style than Denyer or Ramsay. Despite the risk of challenging a leadership that exceeded electoral expectations by quadrupling the party’s representation in parliament last July, Polansi is undeterred, aiming to capitalize on public disillusionment with the Labour government, which he feels is currently benefiting Reform UK.
The leadership elections, usually held every two years, will now take place with nominations opening on June 2. Polansi’s candidacy puts him under increased public scrutiny, including revisiting a 2013 incident involving a controversial hypnotherapy promise that he acknowledges with an apology, emphasizing his responsibility for his actions.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/may/05/green-deputy-zack-polanski-launches-leadership-bid-with-uk-eco-populism-vision
