Zack Polanski speaking to Green Party volunteers

What should the direction of our party be? That’s the question on everybody’s mind in this year’s Green Party leadership election.

And after managing one of our most high-profile campaigns in 2024, it’s one I’ve been thinking about for a while, too.

So, here’s two conclusions I’ve come to:

First — we’re reaching the ceiling of what a ground campaign alone can deliver.

Not because it’s not working. It is — better than ever. And not because it’s not vital. We won’t win anything without it.

But because we can all see how incredibly resource-intensive they are. They take time, money, staff, volunteers, data, and an unfathomable amount of organisation. Trying to replicate that model to match the scale of ambition for the next general election is just not feasible.

So if we want to go from four MPs to the kind of numbers that can make a difference in a hung parliament — especially in seats that are clustered geographically — we’re going to have to find ways to reduce the volume of the ground game without reducing the number of exposures voters receive.

In other words, more media.

That means a strategic shift. One that starts with seriously challenging the conventional wisdom that “the Greens don’t get coverage.”

And to do that, we need someone who can put us in the spotlight. Someone that understands that doing so requires getting off the sidelines, and into the mix.

And second — seats alone aren’t enough.

Because what’s the point of having a bigger parliamentary team if no one’s paying attention?

Just look at the Lib Dems — our current ghost of Christmas future. They’ve just had their best-ever result — 72 MPs — and still can’t get the cut-through they need to shape the national conversation. So much so that late last year they resorted to Ed Davey, outside Parliament, challenging Keir Starmer to a game of FIFA. Via a TikTok dance.

It was a painful reminder that winning seats is important — but on its own, it doesn’t guarantee relevance.

Then on the flip side, do I even need to mention Reform? A party with basically the same number of MPs as us and ten times the impact. A hundred times.

And yes, it’s true: we don’t want to be like Reform. But their success has shown what is possible. They’ve shown that a smaller party with a radical agenda can break through. Can shape the national conversation. Can set the direction of a government.

So if we’re not just here to win seats — but we’re here to change a country, then we can’t do that quietly.

I hear the concern — “We can’t spook the horses.” The idea that, essentially, we can appeal to a wider range of voters by being ambiguous about our identity. But that has its limits. The limit being: it only works whilst you’re small enough for people not to notice.

The truth is: there is space for us. As we are. A space that people are crying out for us to occupy. It’s time to step into that — and show that with the right message, the right messenger, and the right policies, people will vote for us. Not in spite of who we are — but because of it.

In my view this election isn’t a choice between media cut-through and ground campaigning. It’s about understanding that in modern politics, you need both.

Which is why I’ll be voting for Zack, and would encourage you to, also.

We can all see the ‘media cut-through’ case he’s making bearing fruit — and he’s obviously incredible at that side of things. But his elections and campaigning skills shouldn’t be underestimated either.

In election strategy days, it was often Zack making the sound point — or bringing up a difficult but essential topic of conversation. On the ground, there was no Action Day VIP that I would rather have for firing up the troops or persuading people on the doorstep. And in a time of crisis, it was Zack’s judgement I sought out in order to make a decision.

He is just as skilled with strategy, campaigning and elections, as he is with interviews, debates and social media.

So to anyone who is unsure of who to vote for, I’d just say: yes, this election represents change. Yes, it will bring new people into the fold. And yes, that can feel unfamiliar. But if you’re honest with yourself, you know we can’t achieve what we need to if we stay the same.

And as the leader of our party, I trust Zack to make sure we continue to be a home for anyone who wants to fight for the change we want to see. The new guard and the old. People who joined yesterday, and people who joined decades ago.

Miles Thorpe, was the campaign manager for Carla Denyer’s 2024 general election campaign

Image credit: Rob Browne – Creative Commons