Zack Polanski: Who is the new Salford-born Green Party Leader?

Zack Polanski has been elected as the new leader of the Green Party. The 42-year old was victorious over Adrian Ramsey and Ellie Chowns, who ran on a joint ticket.

Polanski, who describes himself as an “eco-populist” received 20,411 votes, whilst Chowns and Ramsey- the former co-leader alongside Carla Denyer, received 3,705 votes.

But who is Zack Polanski? Polanski was born in Salford and went to a grammar school in Stockport, but according to the Manchester Evening News, he was kicked out!

Polanksi, born David Paulden, went on to study drama in Atlanta, Georgia, and it is reported that it was here that Polanksi first witnessed inequality, racism and homophobia.

Following these experiences, Polanski became involved in community projects, supporting homeless people and migrants.

He also performed in political theatre productions, and perhaps controversially, practiced hypnotherapy. Polanski’s past in this profession has attracted some criticism from Labour MPs, after a newspaper sting caught him telling a woman he could increase her breast size, through the power of his mind. Uma Kumaran, MP for Stratford and Bow described Polanski’s comments as “grim.”

Polanski apologised for his past on BBC Breakfast, stating that

“I apologised for that twelve years ago.”

Following his spell in hypnotherapy, Polanski stood to become a London-based Liberal Democrat councillor, but was unsuccessful in 2016. He joined the Greens in 2017, becoming a member of the London Assembly in 2021, before becoming Deputy Leader in September 2022.

Whilst Polanski has stated that he “despises Nigel Farage’s politics” and would “never copy what he does”, he has spent the summer studying his leadership style due to the fact “he cuts through” and that “everyone knows who is”. Many news outlets believe that Polanski may be more radical than his predecessors within the Green Party, with Sky News stating that he wants to be the “Farage of the left”.

Image Credit: Dan Kitwood