Zack Polanski is one of UK politics’ rising stars. As the first gay, Jewish deputy leader of the Green Party, he tells us why everything comes back to the environment

Words Charlotte Manning

From the moment we meet in Bethnal Green so that I can witness his typical working day, it’s clear Polanski is a man who doesn’t stop for anything. After I admit to being scared of biking it around London, he quickly shows off a cycling injury on his hand. He doesn’t seem put off one bit by the incident. As well as being a keen cyclist, he’s vegan, doesn’t drink, and says he’s happiest when dancing.

Prior to becoming a member of the Green Party, Polanski was active in the Lib Dems. Even then, championing the environment was always his focus. “In terms of getting into green politics, something that’s cool for me about the Green Party is people know we care about the environment, and know we care about the planet. That is at the front and centre of everything we do. But there’s no environmental justice without social, racial and economic justice,” says Polanski. This is one of his go-to phrases throughout our chat. He believes all injustices link back to the environment. “[In] the poorest neighbourhoods in London, people are more vulnerable to road traffic accidents. Pollution is another really good example — the worst air pollution in our cities is often in places with working-class communities, or people of colour,” he adds.

Our day involves several pit stops, including a few short catch-ups around Westminster with former Green Party leader Natalie Bennett, current co-leader Carla Denyer, and another journalist who’s keen for time with Polanski too; he’s a man in demand. We also meet charities and unions before finally stopping off at a Borough pub for a much-needed end-of-the-day chat.

CLIMATE CRUSADE: Polanski with Croydon Green Party Councillor Ria Patel

Photography Markus Bidaux