ZACK Polanski has been named the new leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, promising a “political home” for disillusioned voters.
The London Assembly member, who has been deputy leader of the party since 2022, saw off competition from the joint bid of MPs Ellie Chowns and Adrian Ramsay.
In a landslide victory, he secured a staggering 20,411 votes (84.6%) from members, with Chowns and Ramsay attracting just 3705 (15.4%).
Ramsay and Carla Denyer had been co-leaders of the party since 2021.
It is the first time ever that an incumbent Green leader has been voted out by members.
Polanski has spoken of wanting to steer the party towards what he has described as an “eco-populist” position.
Congratulations to the newly elected Leader of the Green Party of England & Wales, @ZackPolanski pic.twitter.com/WWxMst3leb
— The Green Party (@TheGreenParty) September 2, 2025
He has also suggested he is open to co-operating with former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s new party, an alliance which could provide a headache from the left for Keir Starmer’s Labour Government.
During the announcement, the party revealed its membership is at its highest ever level at 68,500.
Polanski, who was considered the frontrunner throughout what was described as an unusually fractious contest, promised in his victory speech to "work every single day to grow this party" and paid tribute to his defeated rivals.
After being greeted by rapturous applause, he said in a victory speech: "I promise to work every single day to deliver environmental, social, racial and economic justice."
In a message to Starmer’s Labour Party, Polanski said the Green Party was going to “replace you”.
He paid tribute to the Green Party’s MPs, describing himself as standing on the shoulders of giants.
He added: “It’s time to get our MPs some more company and get some more elected MPs in the House of Commons. And 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.
“They see water companies pumping sewage into our waters and charging us extra for the privilege, and they see how broken the old two-party system is, and 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.”
The Greens have “an absolute moral responsibility in this moment” to stand for bold politics, Polanski added.
He went on: "We will nationalise the water companies. We will hold this Labour Government to account.
"Because when we look at Keir Starmer and what this Government have been doing, whether it’s the two-child benefit cap, the disability cuts, the genocide in Gaza, 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’re here to replace you.”
He also promised a “political home” for disillusioned voters, adding: “If you’re feeling hopeless, if you’re feeling in despair, if you’re feeling politically homeless, there is a political home for you.
“And 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.”
Polanski has been vocal in his condemnation of Israel's genocide in Gaza, telling The National earlier this year that Jewish communities must speak out more.
Polanski went to a Jewish school in Manchester and was brought up with “very Zionist” views, but said there is a “moral imperative” for Jews to call out the massacre of innocent Palestinians and empower Palestinian voices.
He also told The National in May that he could see why half of Scots want independence after "decades of neglect" by Westminster.
Polanski said Scottish people “deserve much better” as he blasted the disregard with which the country has been treated within a “narrow” conversation at Westminster.
Two new deputy leaders of the Green Party were also elected, with Mothin Ali and Rachel Millward taking up these positions.
Ex-Green Party leader Caroline Lucas posted on Twitter/X: "Big congratulations @ZackPolanski. Really gracious in victory & hugely ambitious for party. As he said in his acceptance speech, the Greens aren’t here to be disappointed by Labour - we’re here to replace them & to challenge power & wealth in this country. Join us!"
