Zack Polanski

Zack Polanski was born David Paulden in Salford. He was born to a Jewish family that had moved to the UK from mainland Europe in the early 20th century and they had adopted the family name of Paulden in hopes of evading antisemitism. Aged 18, he changed his family name back to Polanski, saying it was important for him to find pride, not shame, in his identity.{{Cite web |date=2022-06-06 |title=Can the Greens become more than a single MP party in England and Wales? |url=https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/greens/2022/06/green-party-deputy-leader-race-zack-polanski |last=Bourke |first=India |access-date=2022-08-08 |website=New Statesman |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Barradale |first=Greg |date=2025-06-06 |title=Zack Polanski on making Starmer more scared of the Greens than Reform |url=https://www.bigissue.com/news/politics/zack-polanski-interview-green-party-reform-starmer/ |access-date=2025-06-11 |website=Big Issue |language=en-US}}

Polanski grew up in Salford and attended Stockport Grammar School on a scholarship before leaving to go to a comprehensive college.{{cite web |last1=Frazer |first1=Jennl |title=Jewish candidates prepare to do battle as local election day looms |url=https://www.thejc.com/news/uk/jewish-candidates-prepare-to-do-battle-as-local-election-day-looms-1.516215 |work=The Jewish Chronicle |date=29 April 2021}}{{cite journal|url=http://stockportgrammar-heritage.daisy.websds.net/Filename.ashx?systemFileName=STKPGS1997.pdf&origFilename=STKPGS1997.pdf|title=Feuilleton|journal=The Stopfordian|date=1997|access-date=10 May 2021}} He studied at Aberystwyth University before attending drama school in Georgia in the United States. He moved to London upon graduation.{{cite journal|url= https://www.cambrian-news.co.uk/news/former-aberystwyth-student-rejoins-climate-change-protests-following-arrest-105352|title=Former Aberystwyth student rejoins climate change protests following arrest|journal=Cambrian News|first=Julie|last=McNicholls Vale|date=2 May 2019|access-date=9 May 2021}}

Polanski is gay, vegan and lives in Hackney.{{Cite news |last1=Horton |first1=Helena |last2=reporter |first2=Helena Horton Environment |date=2025-04-29 |title='It's an existential moment': Greens take on Reform in fight for fed-up voters |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/apr/29/alternative-greens-battle-reform-fed-up-voters-local-elections |access-date=2025-04-30 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}{{cite web|url=https://www.huckmag.com/perspectives/opinion-perspectives/the-reality-is-that-london-is-a-green-and-red-city-now/|title=The reality is that London is a green and red city now|date=2021-05-14|access-date=2021-06-24|last=Polanski|first=Zack|work=Huck Mag}}{{cite web|url=https://play.acast.com/s/shaunflores/gay-jewish-and-vegan-in-conversation-with-green-party-politi|title=Gay, Jewish and Vegan: In Conversation with Green Party {{sic|Polit|ican|nolink=y}} Zack Polanski|last=Flores|first=Shaun|date=4 January 2021|work=Flower Hour|access-date=24 June 2021}}

Polanski was active in the Liberal Democrats. He stood as a council candidate for St Pancras and Somers Town in a 2015 by-election to Camden London Borough Council.{{Cite web |last=Teale |first=Andrew |title=Local Elections Archive Project — St Pancras and Somers Town Ward |url=https://www.andrewteale.me.uk/leap/ward/75/ |access-date=2025-05-23 |website=www.andrewteale.me.uk}} He stood in the Barnet and Camden constituency and was fifth on the London-wide list for the party in the 2016 London Assembly election.He then left the Liberal Democrats and joined the Green Party in 2017. He stood as the Green candidate in the Cities of London and Westminster parliamentary constituency at the 2019 general election and finished in fourth place of six candidates, with 1.7%.{{cite news|title=Cities of London & Westminster parliamentary constituency - Election 2019 - BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000639|publisher=BBC|access-date=30 June 2021|work=BBC News}} Prior to his election to the London Assembly, he became treasurer of the Jewish Greens.{{Cite web|last=Harpin|first=Lee|title=Local Elections 2021: Jewish candidates standing for all parties have success|url=https://jewishnews.timesofisrael.com/local-elections-2021-jewish-candidates-standing-for-all-parties-have-success/|access-date=2021-06-29|website=jewishnews.timesofisrael.com|date=10 May 2021 |language=en-US}}

On 6 May 2021, Polanski was elected a Member of the London Assembly, having been third on the Green Party's London-wide list. He also stood in the West Central constituency, where he came third,{{Cite web |last=Meyer-Funnell |first=Catherine |last2=Shosha |first2=Adie |date=7 May 2021 |title=Tories, Greens and Lib Dems react to West Central result |url=https://www.swlondoner.co.uk/news/07052021-tories-greens-and-lib-dems-react-to-west-central-result/ |website=SWLondoner}} and for a Westminster Council by-election, where he came fourth{{cite web|url=https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/labours-liza-begum-wins-westminster-council-by-election/ |title=Labour's Liza Begum wins Westminster Council by-election |publisher=South London News |date=2021-05-07 |access-date=2021-05-18}} on the same day. In the new Assembly, Polanski was elected to be the chair of the Environment committee and to be on the committees for Fire, Resilience and Emergency Planning and the Economy Committee.{{Cite web|date=2021-06-29|title=Assembly Member details - Zack Polanski|url=https://www.london.gov.uk//moderngov-template/assembly|access-date=2021-06-29|website=London City Hall|language=en-GB}}

In December 2021, Polanski proposed a successful motion in the London Assembly backing the Climate and Ecological Emergency bill. It was a cross party motion with Labour and Liberal Democrat support.{{Cite web|title=The London Assembly calls on Mayor Khan to back the CEE Bill!|url=https://www.ceebill.uk/london_assembly|access-date=2021-12-17|website=Zero Hour|date=2 December 2021 |language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Republic|first=Studio|title=London Assembly gives support to proposed Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill|url=https://www.ciwem.org/news/london-assembly-gives-support-to-proposed-climate-and-ecological-emergency-bill|access-date=2021-12-17|website=CIWEM|language=en}}

On 6 June 2022, Polanski announced his candidacy in the 2022 Green Party of England and Wales deputy leadership election.{{cite news |last= Jarvis |first= Chris |date= 6 June 2022 |title= Zack Polanski announces bid for Green Party deputy leadership |url= https://bright-green.org/2022/06/06/zack-polanski-announces-bid-for-green-party-deputy-leadership/ |work= Bright Green |access-date= 23 August 2022}} On 7 September 2022, he was elected Deputy Leader, succeeding Amelia Womack.{{cite web |last1=Jarvis |first1=Chris |title=Zack Polanski elected deputy leader of the Green Party |url=https://bright-green.org/2022/09/07/zack-polanski-elected-deputy-leader-of-the-green-party/ |website=Bright Green |date=7 September 2022 |access-date=7 September 2022}}

In May 2024, Polanski was re-elected to the London Assembly and, in June 2024, re-elected as Chair of the London Assembly Environment Committee.{{Cite web |title=Environment Committee {{!}} London City Hall |url=https://www.london.gov.uk/who-we-are/what-london-assembly-does/london-assembly-committees/environment-committee |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=www.london.gov.uk |language=en}}

In January 2025, Polanski refused to have an all-male panel in London's Environment Committee insisting on a diversity of speakers. The Conservatives walked out of the meeting calling Polanski’s actions “left wing wokery."{{Cite web |last=Vickers |first=Noah |date=2025-01-10 |title=Tories walk out of City Hall meeting in protest over 'wokery' |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/london-tories-walk-out-city-hall-meeting-wokery-b1204162.html |access-date=2025-04-30 |website=The Standard |language=en}}

In May 2025, Polanski announced his candidacy for the upcoming 2025 Green Party of England and Wales leadership election. In his announcement, he said that the Greens needed to be able to challenge Reform UK's political narrative and to take advantage of political disillusionment with the Labour Party.{{Cite news |last=Walker |first=Peter |date=2025-05-05 |title=Green deputy launches leadership bid with UK 'eco-populism' vision |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/may/05/green-deputy-zack-polanski-launches-leadership-bid-with-uk-eco-populism-vision?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other |access-date=2025-05-05 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} Later that week, Owen Jones endorsed Polanski in The Guardian.{{Cite news |last=Jones |first=Owen |date=2025-05-07 |title=If the Greens really are to become the Reform-style populists of the left, Zack Polanski could be their man |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/may/07/greens-reform-populists-left-zack-polanski?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other |access-date=2025-05-10 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}

Polanski was also elected in May 2025 as the Chair of London's Fire Committee.{{Cite web |title=Fire Committee |url=http://www.london.gov.uk/who-we-are/what-london-assembly-does/london-assembly-committees/fire-committee?ac-45685=45683 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250123174012/https://www.london.gov.uk/who-we-are/what-london-assembly-does/london-assembly-committees/fire-committee?ac-45685=45683 |archive-date=2025-01-23 |access-date=2025-05-13 |website=London City Hall |language=en}}

Prior to being a politician, Polanski worked with the theatre company DifferencEngine as an immersive theatre actor, including appearances in The Hollow Hotel, The People's Revolt (in the Tower of London) and in the Peaky Blinders Immersive Theatre experience.{{Cite web|url=https://lovelondonloveculture.com/2018/04/26/preview-the-hollow-hotel-the-biscuit-factory/|title=PREVIEW: The Hollow Hotel, The Biscuit Factory|first=AuthorEmma|last=Clarendon|date=26 April 2018|website=Love London Love Culture}}

Polanski also worked as a hypnotherapist. In 2013, a newspaper reporter for The Sun requested a hypnotherapy session to increase her breast size and body image self-confidence for an article in the paper. Polanski did the session without charge and featured in the published article. Polanski said the article did not accurately reflect the situation, but, years later, apologised for his involvement.{{cite web|date=8 December 2019|title=Green Party candidate apologises again for misogynistic experiment|url=https://www.swlondoner.co.uk/news/election-2019/08122019-green-party-candidate-apologises-again-for-misogynistic-experiment/|access-date=8 May 2021|last=Morgan|first=Rhodri|website=South West Londoner|language=en-GB}}

Polanski taught at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts and the National Centre for Circus Arts. Polanski also sang for the London International Gospel Choir.{{cite web|url=https://www.kentishtowner.co.uk/2013/01/01/ich-bin-zack-polanski/ |title=Hypnotherapists North London |publisher=Kentishtowner.co.uk |date=2013-01-01 |access-date=2021-05-18}}{{cite web|url=http://thefamilytreepodcast.co.uk/roots/|title=Roots|website=The Family Tree|access-date=9 May 2021}}{{cite web|author=Joshua Neicho |url=https://www.onlondon.co.uk/joshua-neicho-meet-the-new-members-of-the-london-assembly/ |title=Meet the new members of the London Assembly |publisher=OnLondon |date=2020-03-15 |access-date=2021-05-18}}

In June 2024, Polanski released a book with the authors of The Spirit Level – Kate Pickett and Richard Wilkinson – called Act Now: A vision for a better future and a new social contract.{{Cite book |url=https://researchportal.northumbria.ac.uk/en/publications/act-now-a-vision-for-a-better-future-and-a-new-social-contract |title=Act Now: A vision for a better future and a new social contract |last1=Johnson |first1=Matthew T |last2=Dorling |first2=Danny |last3=Driscoll |first3=Jamie |last4=Hardill |first4=Irene |last5=Hobbs |first5=Cat |last6=Johnson |first6=Elliott Aidan |last7=Lawson |first7=Neal |last8=Nadel |first8=Jennifer |date=2024-07-01 |publisher=Manchester University Press |isbn=978-1-5261-8076-6 |location=Manchester}}{{Cite web |date=2024-06-27 |title=Act Now – Doing nothing is not an option! |url=https://labourhub.org.uk/2024/06/27/act-now-doing-nothing-is-not-an-option/ |access-date=2025-05-05 |website=Labour Hub |language=en}}

{{reflist}}

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• [https://backzack.com/ Leadership campaign website]
• [https://www.london.gov.uk/who-we-are/what-london-assembly-does/london-assembly-members/zack-polanski Profile] at the London Assembly

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{{s-bef|before=Amelia Womack}}

{{s-ttl|title=Deputy Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales|years=2022–present}}

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{{Current London Assembly members}}

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Category:1982 births

Category:Living people

Category:Alumni of Aberystwyth University

Category:Jewish English politicians

Category:Green Party Members of the London Assembly

Category:Green Party of England and Wales parliamentary candidates

Category:English gay politicians

Category:Liberal Democrats (UK) politicians

Category:People educated at Stockport Grammar School

Category:People from Salford

Category:Politicians from London

Category:London AMs 2021–2024

Category:London AMs 2024–2028