Zack Polanski: Communication and Disruption in UK Politics

Zack Polanski hasn’t just taken the Green Party leadership — he’s rewritten the script on how they talk.

For years, the Green Party leaned on graphs, facts, and climate-first detail.  To some that made them sound like a pressure group, not a contender for power. Polanski is changing all that.  His approach: Less data, more story. Less briefing paper, more emotion — even anger.

And so far, it’s working. He took 84% of the members’ vote, and his leadership launch video (below) has already been watched more than a million times.

For me, the choreographed anger and emotion are straight out of the Trump, Farage, and early Marine Le Pen playbook. To this, Polanski adds his own twist — regularly calling “bullshit.” Personally, I’m not a fan of swearing in public, but it’s deliberate. It’s part of the crafted authenticity.

What impresses me more is his clarity. His arguments are simple, sharp, and unambiguous. It’s a potent mix of clarity and populist energy. He openly says the Greens should study Nigel Farage — not for ideology, but for communication. I’ve said before: Farage speaks fluent pub. He mastered simple, memorable messaging that resonated with ordinary voters. Polanski wants that same cut-through, but grounded in left-leaning values. Less “wonky policy brief,” more “call to arms.”

Another key strength is how he handles tough questions. As a media trainer, I can see the prep behind it. It shines through, particularly when Polanski is faced with what I call “anticipated negatives.” Of course, I don’t actually know if it’s pure native wit or the result of analysis and rehearsal, but it looks to me like the latter. I would guess his team brainstorms likely hostile questions, then crafts neat responses that reframe while looping back to the core message.

Take this example:

Q: “Adrian Ramsey (another prominent Green politician and leadership contender) couldn’t bring himself to say he liked you, even after six or seven chances in one interview.”
A: “This is not what matters. People don’t care about this stuff. Adrian and I have worked together for three years. In that time, the Green Party has taken more seats and signed more members.”

He barely waits for the question to finish before delivering that crafted answer, and he is not fudging — he’s reframing.

Polanski is also deliberately combative. He’s not afraid to make enemies or call out falsehoods. That bluntness makes him seem more honest to those who feel ignored or angry. But it will alienate those who prefer their politicians measured and not foul-mouthed.

Still, in today’s politics, Polanski’s style feels like a left-wing answer to the right’s populist playbook. And while people are often cynical about messaging, we know that consistent, powerful messaging is an essential tool for all good communicators and Polanski uses these well. Here are a few of his crafted lines — or, in our lingo, key messages:

• “The threat to our society is not arriving by dinghy or a small boat — they’re flying in a private jet.”
• “The true menace isn’t migration, it’s billionaires and corrupt corporations.”
• “The boats, the boats, the boats… I call bullshit.”
• “Racist narratives about strangers destroying everything? Bullshit.”
• “If you use the NHS, the person caring for you is far more likely to be a migrant than anyone in front of you in the queue.”

And as a Jewish man, he has not hesitated to call what is happening in Gaza “genocide,” saying: “Never again means never again for everyone. End the genocide.”

Time and again, we’ve seen how good communicators — the ones who simplify the messy complexity of modern life — influence debates and get elected. Polanski is betting on that formula. Whether you like it or not, it’s a masterclass in communication as disruption.

Here is an interesting Guardian article about Polanski’s approach to creating social media content.

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Lindsay Williams

Lindsay Williams is the founder and MD of The Media Coach. She has been an expert media trainer, communication coach and consultant since 1998. Lindsay hosts a range of bespoke communication skills courses which include Media Training, Presentation Training, Crisis Media Training and Message Building. Her particular forte is CEO Communication Coaching. Lindsay is the person to hire when you want C-Suite Communication Training.

Lindsay Williams is based in London but runs training sessions in multiple time zones, including the US, Europe, Africa and Asia, working online or travelling to host small and large scale training events. With 20 years of experience as a communications consultant with corporations and international organisations, Lindsay also runs Personal Impact Training and Pitching Via Zoom courses.

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