Published: 30 July’ 2025. The English Chronicle Desk
As the Green Party of England and Wales prepares to elect its next leader, a deep internal debate has emerged, one that may shape not only the party’s future but its standing in the broader British political landscape. Central to this debate is Zack Polanski, the current deputy leader, whose proposal for a bold, headline-driven approach termed “eco-populism” has drawn criticism from his rivals, Adrian Ramsay and Ellie Chowns. The pair, who are also standing as co-leadership candidates, warn that this path could polarise the electorate and risk the party’s hard-won credibility.
Ramsay and Chowns, both sitting MPs, argue that Polanski’s model—while charismatic and media-savvy—leans toward the kind of populism that voters increasingly reject. Ramsay, who has co-led the party since 2021, insisted that Britain’s electorate desires substance over sensationalism, particularly after years of populist politics that often prioritised popularity over policy. He cautioned against narrowing the party’s reach to its most ardent supporters at the cost of broader appeal.
Their remarks came ahead of the month-long leadership election, which opened on Friday and will conclude with the results on 2 September. The contest is widely seen as pivotal, with the Greens gaining four parliamentary seats in the last general election, moving them from the political margins toward the possibility of future influence in a hung Parliament. However, the trajectory of that influence, Ramsay and Chowns argue, depends on maintaining a credible and inclusive message.
Zack Polanski’s campaign has focused on energising the party’s base and expanding its visibility through dynamic, media-focused strategies. His main campaign video, which has surpassed 2 million views on social media platform X, presents him as a reformer ready to modernise the party’s communications and grow its membership. He envisions a party that can engage with headlines as effectively as figures like Nigel Farage and the Reform Party, while remaining grounded in environmental and social justice principles.
Yet to his critics within the party, this model bears resemblance to tactics that have failed elsewhere. Ramsay referenced the 2025 federal election in Australia, where the Green Party saw its parliamentary representation drop from four seats to one following a similar pivot toward aggressive messaging. He warns that growth should not come at the expense of credibility and that trusting relationships with a wide voter base are essential in a first-past-the-post system.
Chowns echoed this sentiment, expressing concern that a polarising figurehead could restrict the party’s appeal to a limited ideological faction. She stressed the importance of engaging voters across the political spectrum who may not align entirely with Green policy but could still place trust in its leadership. In her view, politics in the UK has outgrown the binary left-versus-right narrative, and what’s needed now is a leadership style that builds unity, not sharpens divides.
The leadership race also touches on the Greens’ potential alliance with a new left-wing party co-led by Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana. While Polanski has shown openness to collaboration, Ramsay and Chowns have voiced hesitation, pointing to the unsteady launch and internal conflicts within the yet-unnamed party. Chowns noted that although the Greens have historically embraced cooperation, such alliances must be built on shared values and strategic clarity.
Insiders say the result of this leadership vote is uncertain, with members deeply divided on the direction they believe the party should take. For Ramsay and Chowns, the stakes are high: they believe the wrong leadership could unravel years of progress and credibility. For Polanski and his supporters, a more vibrant, populist approach may be the only way to break through Britain’s political noise and achieve real electoral influence.
With the future of the party hanging in the balance, and broader implications for centre-left politics in the UK, the coming month will be a defining moment in the Green Party’s evolution—either a leap forward into a more visible, if risky, populist posture, or a reaffirmation of steady, coalition-building leadership rooted in experience and credibility.
