Polanski gaffes turbocharge the Greens’ moderates vs. radicals fight

LONDON — The Green Party’s breakthrough at the last U.K. general election was driven by its moderates. But a new guard, loyal to leader Zack Polanski, is betting that only a radical turn will push the party forward. Activists on the left of the party are on a drive to recruit their own candidates to stand at the next election as they seek to recast the parliamentary party in their chief’s self-styled “eco-populist” image. It has echoes of the ideological civil war playing out in the U.S. Democratic Party, where this week, progressive Abdul El-Sayed defeated an establishment-backed candidate to become the party’s Senate nominee in Michigan. But the internal fight inside the Greens has as much to do with personality as with politics. Green activists loyal to their leader are furious with two of the party’s members of parliament who publicly broke ranks with Polanski over his refusal last month to apologize for an Instagram gaffe. Polanski — drawn from outside parliament — has adopted a combative style of politics since becoming leader of the Greens in England and Wales in a landslide last September, replacing the more traditional co-leaders Adrian Ramsay and Carla Denyer. Under Polanski’s leadership, the party has tripled its membership. It won its first by-election in Greater Manchester in February, snatching a seat from the governing Labour Party. Now Ramsay and Ellie Chowns — who stood on a joint ticket against Polanski for the party leadership — have been accused by local Green representatives of an “unacceptable undermining” of the party leader. It comes after Polanski re-posted an Instagram photo of a man wearing a T-shirt featuring a guillotine, and the slogan “We’re only making plans for Nigel” — an apparent reference to Reform UK leader Nigel Farage. The move was reported to the police by the right-wing party, though no further action will be taken. But allies in the party argue that the MPs — who both won rural seats in Westminster at the last election, increasing the party’s representation in the House of Commons from one MP to four — are simply representing their voters, and appealing to a broader coalition. Packing Parliament Some Green organizers, activists, and elected local politicians who spoke to POLITICO say the parliamentary Green party is out of kilter with its membership. “The way Adrian and Ellie responded to Zack’s post showed that they were so out of step with the party and the leadership,” said Ashok Kumar, a prominent Green activist. “They represent constituencies that, since the move ten months ago, aren’t part of the growing metropolitan base,” he added. Adrian Ramsay gives a speech in Manchester, England on Sept. 6, 2024. | Christopher Furlong/Getty Images Members of Greens Organise (GO) — a pressure group aimed at expanding the party’s activist base and pushing it to the left — are strategizing how to get candidates who align with Polanski’s vision selected ahead of the next general election. They are in private discussions with several New York City Democratic Socialists of America organizers who were behind Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s rise. Former Bernie Sanders staffer Spencer Reed spoke to GO members last week at a virtual session focused on recruiting socialist candidates. Abdullah Farooq, who sits on the DSA’s national political committee, appeared at a meeting in May. The candidate recruitment process spearheaded by GO — which has drawn inspiration from other international left-wing groups too — will focus on finding people “who don’t want to be politicians,” according to officials on their steering committee. Local parties have complete democratic control over who they select, but the group will give guidance on how to identify individuals with talent and socialist politics, and help run campaigns to win over the membership. GO members are encouraged to create local networks by asking neighbors about who is already campaigning in their community and who people would go to if th