Green Party leader Zack Polanski is using his platform at City Hall to launch a dual critique, targeting both London Mayor Sadiq Khan and the national Labour government led by Sir Keir Starmer.
In an exclusive interview with the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), the firebrand politician argued that the capital's most pressing problems are inextricably linked to Westminster's policies. Mr Polanski, elected to the London Assembly in May 2021 and becoming party leader in September, remains the only major party head not sitting as an MP.
Connecting London's Struggles to National Failures
Polanski dismissed the idea that his role is limited by not being in the House of Commons. Instead, he sees his position questioning the Mayor directly as a powerful tool to highlight broader failings.
"A lot of the time, issues that affect us nationally affect us in London too," he stated. "Any huge issues that we're having in London right now are often because the Mayor, when he ran for re-election, said a Labour government and a Labour Mayor would put 'wind in the sails of London'. In most people's experiences that's not what has happened."
He emphasised that core issues like soaring rents, high food prices, and stagnant wages are universal, affecting residents from Zone 1 to Zone 6 just as they do people in Yorkshire. However, he noted London's unique contrast of immense wealth alongside severe deprivation.
The City Hall Platform: Pushing Khan and Eyeing Westminster
As one of three Green Assembly Members, Polanski chairs the Fire Committee and sits on three other cross-party panels. His most prominent moment comes monthly at Mayor's Question Time, where he directly holds Sir Sadiq to account.
While acknowledging the Mayor's budgetary constraints, Polanski questions whether Mr Khan is doing enough to demand greater powers and funding from his own party in government. "To be fair to him, there's only certain things he can do within the budget he's got, but I'm making sure that I'm pushing him with the powers that he does have," he said.
His current City Hall priorities are clear:
- A radical, retrofit-focused solution to the climate crisis.
- Championing workers' rights, particularly in the gig economy.
Looking ahead, Polanski suggested a Green surge in the 2028 Mayoral election is "possible" given Labour's poll declines. A Green Mayor, he said, would immediately freeze TfL fares, force the Met Commissioner to fully accept the damning Casey Review findings, and launch a mass programme of properly insulated social housing.
From City Hall to the Commons?
Londoners who voted for him can expect him to serve his Assembly term until 2028, but Polanski has not ruled out a move to Westminster. He confirmed he would "love to run" for a Parliamentary seat, definitely within London.
With the Greens finishing second in over a dozen London constituencies in the 2024 General Election, he may have several options. He could follow the path of former Assembly Members like Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, Deputy PM David Lammy, and ex-Green co-leader Sian Berry.
For now, Polanski is content to use his City Hall role to amplify his national message, arguing that challenging the Mayor and challenging the government are two sides of the same coin in holding Labour to account.
