In this timely special episode, we examine the dramatic transformation underway in the Green Party of England and Wales through the eyes of Daniel Howard James, a member since the mid-1990s who offers an unvarnished insider’s perspective on a party experiencing profound ideological upheaval.
The conversation centres on newly elected leader Zach Polanski’s vision of “eco-populism”—an attempt to broaden the party’s appeal beyond its middle-class environmental base to capture both Reform UK voters and the politically disengaged. With 85% of the leadership vote but only 38% turnout, Polanski’s mandate reflects a party increasingly divided between its ecological roots and a new generation shaped by university identity politics.
James reveals how the party’s recent conference defeated a motion to reinstate climate and ecological emergencies as central policy planks—a stunning reversal for a party founded on environmental principles. Instead, the Greens are increasingly consumed by bitter conflicts over gender ideology, with feminists being expelled or resigning over trans rights issues, creating what critics call “Greens in Exile.” The party that once prided itself on being non-hierarchical and inclusive now enforces strict ideological boundaries, with Polanski declaring “transphobes are not welcome.”
The discussion explores fascinating contradictions: an influx of Muslim members drawn by the party’s Gaza stance sits uneasily with its strong LGBTQ+ advocacy; “bright Greens” argue for nuclear power and unlimited consumption while traditional members champion degrowth; young activists push authoritarian redistribution policies that would have horrified the party’s libertarian founders.
James explains how professionalisation has changed everything—from unpaid activists meeting in church halls to salaried politicians with staff and offices, the party has gained electoral viability but lost its grassroots character. Conference attendance has dropped to 1-2% of membership, allowing small organised factions to push through radical policies that may not reflect broader member views.
The episode raises profound questions about the future of environmental politics: Can a party be truly ecological while embracing postmodern theories that deny material reality? How does the convergence of libertarian traditions with authoritarian identity politics reshape progressive movements? And ultimately, can the Greens be everything to everyone, or must they choose between environmental urgency and social justice absolutism?
This conversation offers crucial insights not just into one party’s struggles, but into the broader tensions fracturing progressive politics across the Western world.
