Ruislip & Eastcote & Northwood Gazette
CALLS FOR MAYOR TO GIVE MONEY
FOR BILLS TO EVERY LONDONER
LONDON Assembly Member Zack Polanski has been elected as the new deputy leader of the Green Party, with a pledge to push for a Universal Basic Income for Londoners to tackle the cost of living crisis.
A Universal Basic Income (UBI) would see every adult getting a set amount of money regularly to tackle poverty and replace other benefits.
Green Party members elected Zack Polanski, 39, as the new deputy leader of the Green Party of England and Wales over three other candidates, including Queen Mary University academic Shahrar Ali.
Mr Polanski is a supporter of expanding the £12.50 ULEZ charge to cover all of London, but wants to see a new payper-mile scheme introduced to replace the existing driving charges.
The new deputy leader is chairman of the environment committee on the London Assembly and takes over from Amelia Womack, who did not stand for re-election this year after eight years in the role.
Mr Polanski has worked as an actor, youth worker, mental health counsellor and in the hospitality sector. He is currently a property guardian in central London and says he has “first-hand experience” of London’s housing crisis.
Mr Polanski said: “I’m pushing the Mayor to trial a Universal Basic Income pilot that by his own research [where in Finland residents are given £490 a month and a trial in Wales involves a £1,600 a month payment] will lift hundreds of thousands of people out of poverty.
“Ever since being elected I’ve worked constructively with the Mayor, particularly on tackling the climate emergency whilst always placing social justice front and centre of everything I do.
“That also means pointing out where there’s gaps in his plans – including the Silvertown Road Tunnel, which he needs to cancel as all Londoners deserve clean air. As deputy leader, I can be an even more effective voice and support more elected Greens across the country to push their great ideas in their local areas too.”
The Green Assembly Member, who has previously been a Liberal Democrat member and moved to London after finishing drama school in the US, is an LGBT+ champion and became the party’s third London Assembly member in the local elections in 2021.
He was elected deputy leader after receiving 42% of the first votes and then 51% of the second round vote.
He said: “Our planet is in crisis and for so many people our society feels broken also. The other parties simply don’t have the answers, and don’t even seem to care.
“The appointment of Liz Truss as Prime Minister offers nothing to the millions of people who feel exhausted by the constant lurch from crisis to crisis that successive governments have forced upon us.
“I am thrilled to have been elected deputy leader of the Green Party, because I know that it is only the Greens that have the solutions to the seemingly never-ending crises that successive governments have led us to.
“That is why it is so important that the Greens have to break through and win more MPs.”
Outgoing deputy leader Amelia Womack, who was in post for eight years, added: “I am so proud of the eight years I have spent as deputy leader of the Green Party and am delighted to be able to hand the reins over to such a hard-working, diligent and progressive politician.
“I feel confident that Zack will be able to help us take that next step so many are calling for and see more Green MPs elected at the next general election and I look forward to seeing the Greens continue to flourish in the coming years.”
Sadiq Khan previously told Mr Polanski: “The problem with any [UBI] pilot in London is we need the money to do so, and that is one of the reasons why we are sharing our research with the Government.
“I am more than happy for London to be used as a pilot in relation to the exploration of a UBI.
“The obstacle is going to be getting support from the Government.”