AI Summary
5 min readA couple of months ago, a thousand or so Gen Z clubbers packed a defunct industrial building in London’s Docklands for an outdoor rave, the dance floor wedged between the hulking factory and the murky Thames. They were not there for the music, exactly. They had come in solidarity with the Green Party, and more specifically, for one man: Zack Polanski, whose election as party leader last year has more than tripled its membership and boosted its poll rating. When Polanski appeared at the decks in a t-shirt proclaiming “God save immigration,” phone cameras went up. Until recently, a Green Party rave would have seemed outlandish. The party was perceived as inoffensive sandal-wearing environmentalism. But Polanski has transformed it, and The Economist’s Andrew Miller, who reported from the rave, argues his rise is more interesting than either the cheers or the criticism imply.
From unhappy childhood to political stage
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What you'll learn
- 1 (01:22) **Introduction: The Green Party Rave** - Rosie Blow sets the scene at an outdoor rave in London's Docklands where Gen Z clubbers have gathered to support the Green Party and its leader, Zack Polanski.
- 2 (04:06) **Polanski's Unhappy Youth** - The interview begins with Polanski describing his difficult childhood, including his parents' divorce, coming to terms with his sexuality, and being bullied for being gay and Jewish.
- 3 (06:55) **From Acting to Hypnotherapy** - Polanski's path to politics began with acting, which he studied at Aberystwyth University, including a year in America where he starred in a student comedy film.
- 4 (08:49) **The Political Upside of Precarity** - The reporter suggests Polanski's zigzagging past may have a political upside, as it gives him first-hand experience of the economic struggles facing many young Britons.
- 5 (09:23) **Joining the Lib Dems and Flouncing Out** - Polanski admits he had little interest in political parties until 2015, when he joined the centrist Liberal Democrats at a time when they were extremely unpopular.
- 6 (10:33) **The Rise of Eco-Populism** - After switching to the Greens in 2017, Polanski has turned the party into a vehicle for "eco-populism" or "eco-socialism," focusing on economic grievances and squeezing the rich.
- 7 (11:58) **Polanski's Challenge: Andy Burnham's Labour Government** - Polanski's immediate political challenge is responding to the new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, who is already adapting to Green pressure.
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Show Notes
To critics, the Green Party leader is dangerous, even a con man. To fans, he is a national saviour-in-waiting. Our correspondent meets him to see what is behind the hype. So-called SpudCells have just seven bespoke DNA loops, but represent a revolutionary step toward life made from scratch. And the many ways travel agents still beat the bots.
Guests and host:
- Andrew Miller, special correspondent
- Oliver Morton, planetary affairs editor
- Caitlin Talbot, culture correspondent
- Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”
Topics covered:
- Zack Polanski, Green Party
- SpudCells, synthetic biology
- travel agents, luxury travel
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