Zack Polanski

thumb Zack Polanski (born David Paulden; 2 November 1982) is a British politician who has been the Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales since September 2025, succeeding the joint leadership of Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay. Briefly active in the Liberal Democrats, he joined the Greens in 2017 and was elected a member of the London Assembly (AM) in May 2021. Quotes 2016–2019 If you could vote – if you think I've said anything vaguely sensible tonight and you'd like to support a Jewish [London] Assembly candidate – if you could vote Caroline Pidgeon, Liberal Democrats, on the orange ballot paper, that would be a support for liberalism and a support for Israel and a support for Judaism. Comments during the 2016 London Assembly election, as cited in "A vote for me is a vote for Israel, Polanski said", The Telegraph (5 October 2026). Polanski was standing in the election as the Liberal Democrat candidate in Barnet and Camden. [During his campaign to be selected as the Green Party candidate for London Mayor] Thanks to most of my fellow candidates. It's pointed because it needs to be. I think we need to look as an organisation at how we treat our members. The anti-Semitism, transphobia and pathetic smear attacks concern me.It shouldn't be allowed and, as a party, I'll be doing my bit to get a grip on it. I hope others will join me in consistently condemning it when it happens. [After a Jewish man aged 69 was physically assaulted in Highbury, north London] Utterly senseless – just one of the many reasons we need to restore community police and further measures to tackle hate crime. Posts on Facebook (2019), as cited in "Polanski vowed to ‘get a grip’ on anti-Semitism in Greens... seven years ago", The Telegraph (7 May 2026). 2026–present [On drug legalisation] I've actually never taken a drug in my life, or even drunk alcohol, but I still don’t sit here as the fun police. I very clearly believe people should be able to do what they want to do. It just wasn’t for me. "I've never taken drugs or drunk alcohol, says Zack Polanski", The Guardian (1 February 2026). [On the 2026 Gorton and Denton by-election] I'll be totally honest, when I heard Andy Burnham wasn't being selected, I punched the air and I thought it's very probable we can win this. I wasn't complacent but I knew we could do it. Whether we're talking about the cost of living crisis, whether we're talking about the genocide in Gaza, or generally the feeling that they were voted in on one word, change - and they've not offered a whole lot of it.The Green Party are here, and we're ready to give them that change. "Starmer admits by-election defeat 'very disappointing' but says he will 'continue to fight'", Sky News (27 February 2026).July 2026 [On standing as a parliamentary candidate] I have lived in London for more than 20 years. As soon as a by-election comes up in London, I would definitely consider it. "Starmer hits out at 'extremes' of left and right after historic Green by-election victory", Financial Times (27 February 2026). [T]here's a conversation to be had about whether it's a perception of unsafety or whether it's actual unsafety, but neither is acceptable.As a politician, as a leader of a political party it's really important that we do everything we can to make sure that people are both physically safe and have the perception of safety and it's unacceptable for anyone in this country to be feeling unsafe if they're just going about their daily business From an interview, as cited in "U.K. Greens' Polanski: Whether Danger Perceived or Actual, Jews Feeling Unsafe 'Unacceptable'", Haaretz (22 April 2026). Referring to the Hatzola arson in the March/April 2026 London antisemitic attacks in Golders Green and elsewhere. [Asked if he wished to apologise to Nigel Farage for reposting a threatening image of him] Well, if I'd done it deliberately I'd be apologising but because this was a mistake I think the important thing is that I point out this was a mistake, that I also make sure that I condemn political violence, and also crucially I make a commitment to be better on social media. The ramping up of the language to say 'this is incitement to murder me' feels like that's also putting me in a dangerous spot. You know as well as I do that as soon as I do that Nigel Farage would run all over social media saying he was correct about incitement to murder and this would all ramp up again.I think it's important that I draw a line and don't play his game... It is important that he's kept safe, it is important we condemn political violence, but I also recognise this as the political attack that it is.If Nigel Farage wants to apologise for all the times that he's put other people in danger then I will be happy to make an apology. It feels quite surreal to be having this conversation. [...] I think it would be odd for the police to speak to me about that because I think it's quite obvious I've not done anything wrong other than make an inadvertent mistake. Interviewed on Newsnight (28 July 2026) by Victoria Derbyshire, as cited in "Polanski says guillotine re-post was mistake but refuses to apologise", BBC News (28 July 2026) Polanski had reposted on social media an image of a man at a demonstration wearing a T-shirt featuring the phrase "We’re only making plans for Nigel" and a drawing of a guillotine. About Zack Polanski Some Greens get it, such as the deputy leader, Zack Polanski, who understands that caution and playing safe in an age of rage is a doomed strategy. Owen Jones "The Green party’s time is now, but it needs to stop being polite – and start picking some fights", The Guardian (28 January 2025). "Zionism is racism" crisis Polanski ... is a talented communicator as long as his audience is predisposed to like the message. His authority is solar-powered, activated only when the light of an enthusiastic crowd shines directly on him. If there is a risk of no applause, he powers down. He had the opportunity at the Brighton conference to demonstrate a different kind of authority, generated from within, expressing conviction derived from a stable core of belief, made compelling by courage. It is the stuff of which leadership is made. Polanski doesn't have it. Rafael Behr "Zack Polanski had the chance to show real leadership. He blew it", The Guardian (7 October 2026). At its annual conference, the Green Party had passed a "Zionism is Racism" motion on 4 October. It's no hyperbole but a mere truism that the Greens have excoriated and delegitimised British Jews for the content of their convictions. And the party leader – who is himself Jewish – chose to be absent, campaigning in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election. Like Macavity the cat, he "always has an alibi, and one or two to spare" – yet at the crucial moment, Polanski wasn't there. Oliver Kamm "The speed of Zack Polanski’s fall is truly spectacular", i (5 October 2026). A crisis in the party was created by the passing of the resolution which was condemned by leading politicians in other parties and some Green Party members resigned. I want him to speak now about what's happened, I want him to show the leadership that was frankly missing on Sunday. I have been very clear that I think it was a mistake not to show leadership on this and I think it was a mistake not to be there to vote. Caroline Lucas in a Newsnight interview (8 October 2026 after polls had closed), as cited in "Zack Polanski under mounting pressure after Holborn by-election defeat", The Times (9 October 2026). As a candidate, Polanski was unsuccessful in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election held on 8 October 2026; the defending Labour Party retained the seat. [After the "Zionism is Racism" resolution became party policy] In the eyes of these hard-Leftists, the Nakba is always bigger than the Shoah.Yet even before this despicable motion was passed, Polanski and his cronies were guilty of fostering the growing anti-Semitism of new party members. [After referring to a series of violent attacks against Jews in the UK] Can Polanski really be daft enough not to realise that all of this was a Bat-signal to those who can now flaunt their Jew hate? Suzanne Moore "Cowardly amateur sectarian Polanski may hang on, but the spell is broken", The Telegraph (9 October 2026). External links Category:1982 births Category:Living people Category:Green Party of England and Wales politicians Category:LGBT people Category:Jews from the United Kingdom Category:Liberal Democrats (UK) politicians Category:Socialists from England