Zack Polanski is a gay Jewish man who three months ago was elected leader of the Green Party of England and Wales. Oh, and his partner, Richie Bryan, works in the field of palliative care, as do I!
Polanski describes his political views as eco-populist, linking issues such as high costs of living with climate change, and supporting a wealth tax to reduce inequality.
Wrote Polanski in November:
My leadership is about tackling the system that is driving inequality and making life literally unaffordable for millions. It’s about confronting the cost of living crisis that’s forcing families to choose between heating and eating.
But it’s more than just calling out the problem and those responsible for it. . . . [W]e’re offering a message of hope grounded in practical action. And it’s resonating. . . . [P]eople are hungry for something different. . . . [The Green Party’s] vision of bold leadership means taxing extreme wealth fairly, restoring and reimagining our public services, and treating migrants and refugees not as scapegoats but as neighbours. . . . This is a politics built on authenticity, straight talking and straight action. It’s about refusing to let racism, Islamophobia, or fear mongering divide us.
Since Polanski became leader, membership in the Green Party has surged in ways that have sent shockwaves throughout the political establishment. The Green Party has now surpassed the Labour Party to become the second most popular party in the country. In addition, a number of Labour members of parliament have defected to the Greens, the latest being Lloyd Russel-Moyle. The progressive populist Greens are now poised to challenge, perhaps even surpass in popularity Nigel Farage’s right-wing populist party, Reform UK.
Earlier today, Zack Polanski released a 4-minute video on social media via his podcast, Bold Politics with Zack Polanski. It was accompanied by the message: “Here’s to kindness in 2026 and solidarity with the migrant community. Merry Christmas.”
Following is Zack’s Christmas message, of which podcaster Antony Jones says, “It’s profound, it’s compassionate, and it’s the politics that we all need right now.”
Related Off-site Links:
Why 2026 Will Be the Year of Hope – Zack Polanski (The Huffington Post, December 24, 2025).
2025: The Rise of Zack Polanski – PoliticsJOE (December 23, 2025).
Zack Polanski Smashes Question Time Again – Curtis Daly and Kevin Logan (Turn Left, December 5, 2025).
Zack Polanski and the Rise of the Green Party – Harry Marshall (The Badger, December 1, 2025).
Zack Polanski and Reform’s Laila Cunningham Clash Over U.K. Asylum Plans – BBC Newsnight (November 18, 2025).
Zack Polanski’s Impressive Green Party Surge Continues – Novara Media (November 12, 2025).
What are the Green Party’s Ambitions in the Next General Election? – Sky News (November 5, 2025).
Zack Polanski Shuts Down Robert Peston in Israel Debate – Aaron Bastani (Novara Media, October 21, 2025).
Is the Green Party the Answer to the U.K.’s Pedantic Politics: An Interview with Zack Polanski – Ashfaaq Carim (Middle East Eye, October 16, 2025).
Zack Polanski and Zia Yusuf Trade Blows on Question Time – Michael Walker and Curtis Daly (Novara Media, October 10, 2025).
“This Is Racism and Fascism”: Green Leader Zack Polanski Clashes with Reform’s Zia Yusuf – Politics U.K. (October 10, 2025).
How Far Can the Green Party Go? – PoliticsTeacher (October 9, 2025).
Zack Polanski Will Be the Most Powerful Man on the Left – Megan Kenyon (New Statesman, November 12, 2025).
The Right Can Mock My Teeth All It Wants – It Shows the Greens Have Struck a Nerve – Zack Polanski (The Guardian, November 10, 2025).
“Hope Has Just Won in New York – It Can Win Here Too” – Zack Polanski (The Observer, November 6, 2025).
Mamdani and Polanski: Can a New Left Undo Trump’s Climate Reversal? – Channel 4 News (November 6, 2025).
Zack Polanski Humiliates Andrew Marr Live on Air – Antony Jones (via YouTube, November 6, 2025).
“We Need to Make Hope Normal Again”: Zack Polanski on How a Zohran Mamdani Win Will Send Shockwaves Around the World – Bold Politics (October 31, 2025).
The British Mamdani? Meet Political Star Zack Polanski – Mehdi Hasan (Zeteo (October 23, 2025).
Zack Polanski and the Reform Party’s Zia Yusuf Go Head-to-Head on Question Time – Novara Media (October 10, 2025).
Let’s Make Hope Normal Again – Green Party of England and Wales (via Facebook, October 6, 2025).
Just Zack Polanski Being a Legend – PoliticsJOE (September 3, 2025).
Zack Polanski Interview – The News Agents (July 19, 2025).
See also the previous Wild Reed posts:
• Zack Polanski’s Message of Hope
• “The Answer, Actually, Is Hope”
• Doing What We Can to Stop Unjust Arrests of Immigrants
• Progressive Perspectives on Zohran Mamdani’s Win in New York City
• “Hopeful and Grounded”: Omar Fateh’s Vision of Democratic Socialism
• Active Hope
• Why “Revolutionary Love” Gives Michelle Alexander Hope
• The Choice Before Us
• Hope and Courage – Christmas 2024
• Something We Dare Call Hope
• “I Came Alive With Hope”
• Resilience and Hope
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