On Tuesday morning, the self-proclaimed ‘eco-populist’ Zack Polanski became the new leader of the Green party of England and Wales. The 42-year-old London Assembly member and former actor hopes to meet the political moment by building on the Greens’ recent electoral success and capitalising on the frustration and political homelessness felt by many on the left.
The Guardian’s senior political correspondent Peter Walker tells Nosheen Iqbal there is a buzz around the Green party like never before. Walker describes how after a relatively charged leadership contest for the Greens, the party has decisively backed Polanski’s call for faster expansion – as opposed to the steady and more consolidated approach offered by his leadership rivals – and explains how the new leader sees much to learn from the rapid rise of Reform.
Finally, in an interview with Walker, Polanski outlines his approach to Keir Starmer’s Labour party
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Photograph: James Manning/PA
