London (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Green Party elects Zack Polanski as leader, pledges radical media push and direct challenge to Labour and Reform UK.
As reported by The Guardian, Zack Polanski won Green Party leadership in England and Wales, aiming to advance “eco-populism” and challenge Reform UK directly.
In a party ballot, Polanski, a former deputy leader and London Assembly Green, defeated co-leaders Adrian Ramsay and Ellie Chowns 20,411 to 3,705. Both are two of the Greens’ four MPs.
What did Zack Polanski say about taking on Reform and Labour?
Speaking to London supporters, Zack Polanski pledged to challenge Reform and Labour, declaring the Greens’ era had begun.
He said,
“This is the Green Party’s time. People in this country are exhausted. They are tired, they are sick of working long hours, and never feeling secure.”
Mr Polanski stated,
“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. So it is an absolute moral responsibility in this moment for the Green party to step up with bold politics.”
Referring to the Prime Minister Keir Starmer, he added,
“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 are here to replace you.”
Mr Polanski paid tribute to the party’s MPs, highlighting Mr Ramsay, who began as a councillor two decades ago.
He stated,
“One of the reasons I could run a radical campaign that seemed credible was because I’m standing on the shoulders of giants – people like Adrian and people who have been around the party for a long time, who have been building and growing this party.”
Mr Polanski concluded by urging voters inspired by his message to join, saying there’s a political home for those feeling hopeless or politically lost.
The Greens’ leader added,
“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. So join the Green party today.”
He said,
“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.”
Mr Polanski stated,
“And we absolutely recognise that migrants are very much the backbone of this country. Our country has a problematic history that we also need to come to terms with, but we also have a beautiful history, a beautiful present, and a beautiful future of what we are when communities come together.”
How does Polanski’s emphatic win signal a shift in Green Party strategy?
Zack Polanski says he will stay focused on elections but aims to speed up Green Party gains through a bolder, assertive media approach, aiming to mirror Reform’s rapid growth under Nigel Farage.
Mr Ramsay and Ms Chowns praised Polanski’s communication skills, noting his acting background, but warned his more left-leaning approach could deter centrist voters in the rural seats they hold.
How did Zack Polanski claim hypnosis could change a reporter?
Zack Polanski, a former Harley Street hypnotherapist, attempted in 2013 to use hypnosis to enlarge a Sun reporter’s breasts.
The reporter was instructed to visualise larger breasts as Mr Polanski worked on her unconscious mind, and she claimed the change lasted about 10 days.
Mr Polanski told The Sun at the time,
“Essentially, I am looking to utilise the unconscious process to make changes to the body. We don’t exactly know what is changing because of the complexities of the unconscious.”
He stated,
“We do know that whatever is changing is ecological, so if it’s changing one thing – such as the size of a person’s breasts – it’s making sure that the whole system is changing in order to support it.”
The Green leader expressed regret in a 2019 interview, adding,
“I think it’s important to say that I’ve apologised. If it was 2019, I would have not done that article and if I had, I would have been stronger to condemn it.”
Eco-populism movement by the Green Party
Led by Zack Polanski, who won 84.6% of the vote, the Green Party aims to become a mass-membership “eco-populist” movement.
Eco-populism links climate action to economic concerns, including cheaper bills, warmer homes, and job security. The movement uses bold, media-focused strategies to challenge Reform UK and Labour for working-class support.