The leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, Zack Polanski, has stated that he would vote for Scottish independence if he were a Scottish voter, claiming that Scotland has been "screwed over by Westminster governments for a long time."
Polanski's remarks on independence
Speaking during a campaign visit to Scotland ahead of the Holyrood election on May 7, Polanski told an audience in Glasgow that a sense of mistreatment by Westminster was contributing to a so-called "Green surge" in politics north of the border. He argued that this sentiment, combined with a "toxic combination" of low wages and high prices amid the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, was driving up Green Party membership across both England and Scotland.
Polanski drew comparisons between the "eco-socialism" offered by his party and the Scottish Greens and the success of politicians such as New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a Democrat elected in November 2025. He also criticised UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting for ruling out a second independence referendum, even if the SNP wins a majority at Holyrood next month. "Who the hell does Wes Streeting think he is?" Polanski asked, accusing the Labour minister of treating Scots "like you were children."
He insisted that a fresh vote on the future of the United Kingdom should be permitted, stating: "If I was Scottish I would vote for independence. I would look at what this Government has done and how it has treated Scotland." Polanski added that keeping Scotland in the Union "against their own will" and denying an independence referendum "is not good for Scotland."
Green surge and membership growth
Polanski's comments came as he highlighted a "Green surge" in politics, noting that membership of the Green Party of England and Wales had reached 225,000 since he became leader in September 2025. He claimed this included a "huge surge from the Labour Party of disillusioned Labour members." Meanwhile, the Scottish Greens now boast over 10,000 members.
Speaking at an event in Glasgow hosted by podcaster Sean McDonald, Polanski said the rise in support for Green parties was "happening all over the world," pointing to successes south of the border, in Scotland, and in New York with Zohran Mamdani. He emphasised the need for eco-socialism, saying: "We really need it now."
He also addressed the cost-of-living crisis, describing a "sense of people just recognising that the cost of living is hitting people really hard, we've kind of got this toxic combination of low wages and high bills." Polanski praised the Scottish Greens for speaking "with authentic, courageous voices, speaking truth to power," adding: "I think that is exactly what Scotland needs right now, the UK needs right now and the world."
Scottish Greens candidate weighs in
Councillor Holly Bruce, the Scottish Green Party candidate for Glasgow Southside—a constituency previously held by former SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon—agreed that "there has been a Green surge absolutely in Scotland." However, she attributed this to "many years of dedicated activism within Glasgow and within the south side that has slowly been growing." Bruce expressed optimism that this growth could lead to the party winning its first ever constituency seat in the south side of Glasgow.
