Greens internal drama warms up

[fromorbit]

New long article looking at the drama inside the Greens over biology suddenly existing again despite their best efforts.

How the Green Party forgot the environment and was torn apart by trans rows
It was a party united by a single mission – to save the planet. But now the gender identity debate has left it divided and in chaos

https://archive.is/TOlNx

The article is already out of date as Zack Polanski of hypnotic breasts fame has just launched a leadership bid against Deyner and Ramsey.

Emma Bateman
It's no secret that big boobs Polanski wants the top job. He is a student politics slogan churner, a self server who distains women and wants misgendering misdemeanours to be grounds for expulsion from the Greens.
He is "LGB with the T"
Still NO DEBATE!

Pro-women Greens article on his background:;
https://concernedgreens.uk/watchlist/zack-polanski/

The existence of biology is likely to be a significant part of the leadership contest for sure so interesting to watch .

Ali Shahrar has launched another legal challenge against the Greens. Gardening needed.

May 27th is the date for Emma Bateman's legal hearing against the Greens.

On May 27th I am in court against Green Party in a case which will expose the contorted lengths the Greens go to in order to shut women up.

It isn't going to go well for the Greens given the Supreme Court ruling. This could be key moment in seeing the ruling's effect on politics and directly impact the leadership contest. It will also be probably be infuriating and hilarious in equal measure.

He thinks arrest was justified.

Can anyone imagine what the implications are of a politician thinking that?

It is so dumb. He is basically giving the Police a power which Reform might be in charge of in a few years.

No idea when I last saw the Greens mention the environment.

Oops quoted the wrong message! Point still stands though

https://mol.im/a/15059329

Link above is the Mail’s sketch writers take on the Green leadership announcement.

'Greenery is no longer about animals and hemp carrier bags. They’re sleek revolutionaries these days, urbane, dogmatically illiberal. The party that was once mouldily anti-hierarchical has elected a leader who is gleamingly egotistical'

That's so funny. Unfortunately, there's a lot of truth in it.

I understand if you have voted for the old green this is not great but he’ll get headlines and likely following, plus might join with Corbyn and Sultana.

I wouldn’t be surprised if they go up with votes.

Not open to an electoral pact with Corbyn and Sultana

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/sep/03/green-party-leader-zack-polanski-distances-corbyn-electoral-pact

Mothin Ali played the united fightback card in his acceptance speech.

“Minority communities, Muslim, immigrants, LGBT and Trans are being targeted. Our fight is one.”

One way to duck out of the allegations. This is exactly the same type of argument as Hussain is saying in YP. During his campaign Ali appeared alongside "trans" people and got their endorsement. He obviously has no problem with them. However he also noticeably avoids saying TWAW stuff. He is obviously hiding his true ideas as many Muslims do.

However still TAs on X demanding he is expelled.

Meanwhile 5 pillars one of the biggest Islamic news sites has a mixed reaction.

A Muslim councillor in Leeds has won the race to become co-deputy leader of the Green Party making Mothin Ali the only practising Muslim to hold a senior leadership position of any mainstream political party in the UK. However, during his victory speech he issued a call for Muslims and immigrants to work with the LGBT community to confront the far-right.
Islam strictly prohibits same gender relationships and the Muslim community in Britain has protested against LGBT & Trans ideology being taught in schools with Muslim children in attendance.
https://www.facebook.com/5pillarsuk/videos/minority-communities-muslim-immigrants-lgbt-and-trans-are-being-targeted-our-fig/1506119143897609/

5 Pillars is just saying what UK Muslim religious leaders actually believe to be true.

‘The same threats to Muslims from the far-right affect the LGBTQIA+ community.’

The Green’s Zoe Garbett denies that trans issues will cause ‘ructions’ amongst the party’s new leadership.
https://x.com/LBC/status/1962978761193734480

the Muslim community in Britain has protested against LGBT & Trans ideology being taught in schools with Muslim children in attendance.

May refer to the Anderton Park Primary School in Birmingham . Not sure if there's still an exclusion zone around it banning protesters

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/may/26/birmingham-anderton-park-primary-muslim-protests-lgbt-teaching-rights

🍿

That doesn’t sound right

Polanski said he expected the Greens’ programme to be more radical and would need to be shown “very strong arguments” for any formal pact. A more likely outcome would be cooperation over which seats each party targeted.

It's difficult for Muslims, it is difficult for others.

Many on the left will be socially conservative. Through history religion was a way of creating boundaries that bonded societies together. Rules around hygiene, rules around sex and marital relationships and a lot more. When I was learning a non-Arabic language I spent time living with Muslim families, both urban and rural, and was taken by the kindness and generosity. You give 10% of your income away both as rule and a matter of lifestyle. Your friend is having a breakdown after her husband left her and you offer to take her children in until she has a chance to sort herself out. In many ways I was reminded of an old Ireland where the priest would speak to his community each week in church (I particularly remember a sermon trying to clamp down on some particularly malicious gossip, urging tolerance) and then referee the hurling match.

Both Ireland and the Muslim world have changed. The spread of Wahabism has led to a more patriarchal culture and women fighting to defend their long standing rights and place in society. Ireland too has become more liberal but less tolerant, certainly in regard to some rights women traditionally enjoyed. Both countries seem to be losing their strong tradition for debate.

Social conservatism is good for society. Children can be children. Vulnerable women can be protected. We should care not just about our own family but about those less fortunate. The old days were not better and society needs to evolve, not least because of AI, the internet and more. We need to be able to have different points of view and to be able to debate those changes. To unite rather than to divide. Muslims (and everyone else) should be able to take part in this discussion. Muslim politicians have a lot to offer. They should not have to hide legitimate views because of fear of a small number of activists. Politicians to the left should be able to defend their beliefs without being labelled "far right". If not the only people able to speak out to defend those values will be the far right.

The 2019 protests are famous. However more to the point there is a big ongoing Muslim campaign against LGBT education in schools organised right across the UK and supported by many mosques. No-one talks about it because it is very inconvenient for British lefties. Labour MPs on the other hand know this very well. They are getting letters from Muslims. Some of them have shifted their positions, not because of concerns about women or kids, but fear of losing the Muslim vote. It is a secret factor which is now coming into play especially in the Corbyn party. Check the YP thread for more.

Example of the type of activism going on:
https://5pillarsuk.com/2024/03/03/push-back-against-lgbtq-lobby-in-schools-respond-to-consultation-today/

The Muslim Family Initiative is at the heart of this. They are very effective.
https://muslimfamilyinitiative.org/about/

TAs never talk about this. Because this stuff is run by beardy men/veiled women so it is all fine. Not like those pesky feminists.

I suppose there are two ways this could go.

There was a big piece in the Sunday Times a few months ago about Labour's polling woes and a senior Labour source was saying "thank god the Greens are so shit, if they ever get a charismatic leader we could be another ten points down".

I think that's what Polanski is banking on, and you never know, he might catch fire.

But the other thing is that what appeals to party activists doesn't always appeal to the normies.

Lots of Lib Dem activists loved Jo Swinson. I think a lot of them remembered when she was the youngest MP and felt protective towards her. And MPs who worked closely with her said she had amazing soft skills, we saw that in 2019 when she was very good at persuading MPs from other parties to defect.

But we also saw in 2019 that none of the high regard Lib Dems had for Swinson translated to voters liking her. They ran this hubristic "Jo for PM" campaign and the more the voters saw of her, the more they thought she just wasn't ready for prime time.

Polanski can probably get away with a lot if he starts having successes, but he'll need those successes.

https://yougov.co.uk/politics/articles/52795-political-favourability-ratings-august-2025

'Even among Green voters, six in ten (61%) say they ‘don’t know’ how they feel about Denyer, rising to 74-76% with Polanski and Ramsay and 85% with Chowns.'

(From August).

Be interesting to see how Polanski goes down with the general public, who currently frankly just don't know he exists.

Oh, I love this. Yougov have a fake politician they throw in to test how many people reflexively say they are unfavourably disposed/favourably disposed!

The Green politicians all had roughly similar ratings to 'Andrew Farmer', who doesn't exist.

It also seems really odd that so few members voted in the leadership elections. Do most GP members really not care or not have a preference - or not think that getting their leader right is a matter of urgency after years of leaders who've failed to make much of an impact?

Maybe that’s why he decided to go against the grain of afaik every other politician and declare glinner’s arrest was ‘proportionate’? I’ve not found the exact quote, searching his name brought up this newly reported piece

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/health/other/zack-polanski-apologises-over-claim-he-can-increase-women-s-breast-sizes-with-his-mind/ar-AA1LMdc3

I think a lot of people join up and just don't get involved. I think part is that they do it just because they want to be supporters but for those wanting to get involved, working out how to do it in the antiquated Green Spaces has required a bit of grit and determination.

You can tell he used to be an actor if he thinks all publicity is good publicity.

Which might be true if you're a fringe player trying to grab attention, but he's promised big gains for the Greens while actually going less mainstream.

Not saying it can't be done but either you'd need extraordinary luck or the kind of genius I don't think he has evidenced.

When Keir Starmer was elected Labour leader the turnout was over 60% of Labour party members. The 30% turnout for the Greens in their leadership election is pathetic.