Zack Polanski: Green Politics in a City Struggling With the Cost-of-Living Crisis

Introduction

London’s identity has long rested on global finance, property investment and the promise of upward mobility. But for many residents, this story no longer reflects their lived experience. Rising rents, stagnant wages and the intensifying cost-of-living crisis have exposed the limits of a city built on financialisaton and high living costs. Against this backdrop, Zack Polanski, Leader of the Green Party of England, and Wales, has become a significant political voice. His politics merge environmental concern with a structural critique of London’s economic model, positioning him as an increasingly relevant figure in debates about the city’s future.

The Cost-of-Living Crisis and the Collapse of London’s Economic Story

The core of Polanski’s politics is shaped by the cost-of-living crisis, which has exposed deep contradictions within London’s economic model. For decades, policy has relied on rising property values, private investment, and a flexible service-sector workforce. However, data from the Office for National Statistics (2023–2024) shows that real wages have consistently lagged inflation, pushing households into financial stress. GLA Economics (2023) reports that an increasing share of Londoners now spend over half their income on rent, while energy and transport costs continue to rise.

Polanski argues that these pressures are not temporary shocks, but predictable outcomes of a city governed according to market logic. Housing is treated as a financial asset rather than a basic need. Public transport is expected to self-fund despite being essential infrastructure. Energy markets prioritise shareholder returns over affordability. By linking the cost-of-living crisis to these political choices, Polanski reframes London’s economic difficulties as the result of deliberate policy decisions rather than natural or unavoidable forces.

Economic Tensions: Polanski Versus London’s Financial Settlement

Polanski’s proposals rent controls, stronger tenant protections, public ownership of energy and expanded investment in transport directly challenge the interests of investors, landlords and private corporations. Rent controls threaten the profitability of large landlords and real-estate investment trusts. Public energy ownership challenges private providers whose profits depend on volatile pricing. Greater transport subsidies contest the Treasury’s long-standing market-first approach to infrastructure.

These tensions reveal why Polanski stands out. His agenda questions the foundations of London’s economy its reliance on speculative development, high land values and the privatisation of essential services. By advocating a new settlement that links environmental sustainability with social well-being, he confronts decades of policy defined by market priorities.

Beyond Environmentalism: A Social-Ecological Vision

Although Polanski is a Green Party figure, his message reaches far beyond traditional environmentalism. He articulates a social-ecological perspective: climate change and inequality are interconnected crises that cannot be addressed separately. Transitioning to renewable energy requires strong public institutions, well-funded services, and democratic control over resources. Stable and affordable housing is essential for climate adaptation.

Public transport must be accessible if London is to reduce car dependency. This view mirrors wider academic arguments from Fraser (2022) and Harvey (2012), who highlight how environmental breakdown and economic inequality reinforce each other. Polanski’s rejection of growth-first orthodoxy challenges the long-standing belief that environmental responsibility must be secondary to economic expansion.

Polanski’s earlier activism from LGBTQ+ rights to community organising also shapes this broader vision. His communication style is grounded in lived experience and centres the voices of renters, young people, and marginalised communities. This background strengthens his social-ecological politics by emphasising participation, representation, and democratic renewal. It explains why his message resonates with those who feel excluded from London’s economic story

Polanski in Person

A public discussion I attended further illustrated how Polanski’s politics operate in practice. Speaking about the future of British politics, he framed climate breakdown and social inequality as mutually reinforcing, arguing that the communities contributing least to environmental damage are those facing its harshest impacts. He connected London’s housing emergency to structural market failures, noting that many renters remain one missed paycheque away from homelessness. His call for rent controls, expanded council housing and a welfare state designed to prevent crisis rather than manage it reflects a consistent emphasis on security and dignity.

His intervention on immigration rejected narrow debates about “numbers”, instead framing migration as both a humanitarian responsibility and a demographic necessity in an ageing society. Hearing these arguments directly reinforced why his politics increasingly demand attention within London’s shifting political landscape.

Conclusion

Zack Polanski has become an influential figure because he speaks directly to the pressures reshaping London. His politics respond to the cost-of-living crisis by insisting that environmental sustainability cannot be separated from affordability, fairness, and strong public institutions. By challenging London’s market-driven development model, he raises fundamental questions about the city’s future and who it ultimately serves. Whether or not the Greens secure major electoral gains, Polanski’s ideas have already begun to shift the political conversation. As London confronts rising inequality, climate pressures and strained public services, his arguments will only become more central to the city’s political and economic direction.