Zack Polanski Elected Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales promising to create “a country where no one is left behind” 

Bold leadership focused on communities bringing people together. That’s not a slogan, it’s the promise of UK politics’ newest national leader, Zack Polanski, elected today as Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales.  

Launching his leadership, Polanski promised action on the overlapping social and environmental crises. Polanski argues, inaction on the cost of housing and spiralling bills, and the cost of living has been justified through a “austerity consensus” pushed by a Westminster consensus. In contrast Polanski says it is time for an “honest conversation” about how we deliver affordable and safe homes, green jobs and free childcare. This, he argues, can be delivered by making “bold political choices” financed fairly by taxing wealth, not punishing the majority. 
 
“The planet is burning and so is the public’s patience.” Polanski said. “People are rightly feeling let down and angry at Labour and are appalled by the rise of the far-right. People have been crushed by spiralling rents and bills while wages have not kept pace. For too long it’s felt like there has been no reprieve. But there is a way forward.”  
 
He continued, “We need bold action, bold leadership. It’s time the super-rich paid their share. It’s time to tax extreme wealth and redistribute it to those struggling to live, to breathe, to survive.” 
 
Elected with the largest ever number of votes in a Green Party leadership election, Zack paid tribute to the previous leadership of Adrian Ramsay and Carla Denyer saying, “My pitch to the country offering a vision of a real radical alternative is only possible because it builds on the success of recent years. We stand as a party with our highest ever membership, highest ever polling average, highest ever general election result, highest ever number of MPs and Councillors. This is because of the amazing work we’ve done with my predecessors. We’ve come so far, but this is only just the start. It’s time to take this bold vision of social and environmental justice up a gear. I come into this role today with urgency, purpose, and a single mission: To build a country where no one is left behind.” 

END 

Notes

  1. Full election results for the leadership, deputy leadership and Green Party Executive are available here: https://greenparty.org.uk/internal-elections/ 
  1. Zack Polanski short biography: 

Zack is a member of the London Assembly.  

He served as Deputy Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales since 2022. 

Zack is currently Chair of the London Assembly Fire Committee, and sits on both the Economy and Budget Committees. He has previously chaired the Environment Committee. 

Before entering politics, Zack worked in community theatre, specialising in Theatre of the Oppressed with marginalised communities to help them tell their own stories. He also spent many years in hospitality, working in bars and nightclubs. 

Outside of politics, Zack still loves the theatre, supports Forest Green Rovers and lives in Hackney with his partner Richie, who works in palliative care.

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Greens respond to Appeal Court hotel ruling


by Green Party

Responding to the Appeal Court ruling on the Bell Hotel in Epping, Green MP Ellie Chowns said: 

“This court case is a distraction from the need to sort out the terrible legacy of 14 years of Conservative government misrule and Labour’s failure to come up with workable, humane solutions. 

“It is inhumane, as well as costly to UK tax payers, for people seeking asylum to have to wait years for a decision and be housed in temporary accommodation like hostels and hotels. 

“People have the right to claim asylum, and we all have the right to expect the government to run a fast and fair process to assess applications. 

 “The UK government quite rightly created safe and managed routes for people fleeing Ukraine. They need to offer the same to others seeking safety from similarly dangerous situations.   

“It can be done, if the political will and leadership is there. 

“People seeking asylum and protection must be allowed to work while their application is being decided. That’s the way to get them out of hotels and able to look after themselves and contributing to local communities.” 

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Green Party reaction to Nigel Farage’s mass deportation plan


/ by Green Party

Responding to plans announced by Nigel Farage to rip up swathes of international law and deport thousands of migrants if Reform UK ever gained power, Green Party MP Ellie Chowns said: 

“More inflammatory rhetoric from Farage at a sensitive time in many communities. This dangerous toxic bluster is clearly aimed at whipping up anger, hatred and even disorder. The way he talks about asylum seekers – our fellow global citizens – is reprehensible.

“The policy proposals themselves are unworkable. They rely on ripping up swathes of international law and would likely face many legal obstacles in the UK courts that could use British common law to block such cruelty. 

“Iran, Afghanistan, Eritrea, Sudan and Syria feature in the top ten countries for asylum seekers in the UK  – all places where people face oppression, conflict, extreme poverty or famine. Asylum claims from people arriving from these countries have high approval rates – almost 100% in the case of Sudan and Syria [1]. 

“Yet former Reform UK Chair Zia Yusuf has suggested that a Reform government would pay brutal regimes like the Taliban to accept the return of migrants – including unaccompanied children. They must know what could happen to these people when they are returned – they will likely be abused, tortured or executed. 

“This is not who we are as a nation. The vast majority of the British public are willing to show compassion towards those fleeing the terrible situations they leave behind.”

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Asylum seekers should be to be able to work while application is being decided, say Greens


/ by Green Party

Commenting on the High Court ruling blocking asylum seekers from being housed in a hotel in Epping and the prospect of Councils across England now weighing up their own legal challenges, Green Party MP Ellie Chowns said:

“This is where the legacy of 14 years of Conservative government has led us. They allowed a massive backlog of asylum claims which has resulted in local hotels being used for accommodation. 

“The Green Party embraces the right to claim asylum, in any country, as set out in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. And we need a fast and fair process to assess asylum applications.

“It is inhumane, as well as costly to UK tax payers, to have to wait years for a decision. 

“The UK Government quite rightly created safe and legal routes for people fleeing Ukraine. They need to offer the same to others seeking safety from similarly dangerous situations.  

“We also want to see those seeking asylum and protection to be allowed to work while their application is being decided. That’s the way to get them out of hotels and able to look after themselves and contributing to local communities.”

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Asylum seekers should be to be able to work while application is being decided, say Greens


/ by Green Party

Commenting on the High Court ruling blocking asylum seekers from being housed in a hotel in Epping and the prospect of Councils across England now weighing up their own legal challenges, Green Party MP Ellie Chowns said:

“This is where the legacy of 14 years of Conservative government has led us. They allowed a massive backlog of asylum claims which has resulted in local hotels being used for accommodation. 

“The Green Party embraces the right to claim asylum, in any country, as set out in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. And we need a fast and fair process to assess asylum applications.

“It is inhumane, as well as costly to UK tax payers, to have to wait years for a decision. 

“The UK Government quite rightly created safe and legal routes for people fleeing Ukraine. They need to offer the same to others seeking safety from similarly dangerous situations.  

“We also want to see those seeking asylum and protection to be allowed to work while their application is being decided. That’s the way to get them out of hotels and able to look after themselves and contributing to local communities.”

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