Zack Polanski says Burnham is too tied to vested interests

Green Party leader Zack Polanski has accused incoming prime minister Andy Burnham of being "too in hock to vested interests" to deliver real change. Ahead of Burnham replacing Keir Starmer in Downing Street on Monday, Polanski said reported plans to appoint Shabana Mahmood as chancellor show he is "subservient to the City of London."

Key Takeaways

• Polanski launched a Greens media blitz aimed at countering the idea Burnham will offer a notably more left-leaning agenda than Starmer.
• He cited the reported Mahmood chancellor pick as evidence Burnham is influenced by City bankers rather than ordinary voters.
• A Green plan seen by The Guardian contrasts Burnham's cautious stance on rent controls, wealth taxes, Gaza and climate with fuller Green proposals.
• Under Polanski, Green membership in England and Wales has more than tripled, with the party closely tracking Labour in opinion polls.
• Summer heatwaves have sharpened the Greens' climate argument as party MPs push workplace temperature protections.

Why is Zack Polanski attacking Andy Burnham now?

The Greens are planning a media blitz before Burnham takes office on Monday, arguing he has gone quiet on several policies he previously supported. Polanski portrayed the incoming prime minister as cautious and weak on wealth taxes, Gaza and rent controls.

In a social media post on Thursday, Polanski said Burnham's reported decision to install Shabana Mahmood rather than Ed Miliband as chancellor showed he was "subservient to the City of London." He claimed Burnham may have dropped Miliband because "bankers in the City of London told him to."

Polanski said the UK was "at breaking point" because of high rents and water bills, extreme heat and anger over Gaza. "The status quo is intolerable," he added, "and all the signs so far indicate that Andy Burnham will fail to challenge it."

What policies does the Green party say Burnham has watered down?

A Green document, seen by The Guardian, frames the contrast as "semi-skimmed Andy" offering verbal support while the Greens push "full-fat" implementation backed by polling data.

On rent controls, Burnham supported the idea as Greater Manchester mayor but has not committed to action in No 10. The Greens want controls imposed nationwide. On a wealth tax, the party says Burnham is likely to "fudge the issue" by adjusting capital gains tax thresholds rather than introducing a separate levy they say 81% of 2024 Labour voters support.

Other flashpoints include water industry nationalisation, where Burnham has talked of "public control" rather than full nationalisation, and proportional representation, which he has ruled out changing before the next general election. The Greens also highlight Burnham's comment that he had "something of an open mind" on further North Sea fossil fuel drilling.

How does the summer heatwave fit into the Greens' case?

The Greens say Burnham appears weak on climate action at a moment when heat is dominating British politics. Polanski argued Labour is "too in hock to vested interests to challenge the oil and gas companies profiting from climate breakdown," and called for ending North Sea drilling.

That argument lands as repeated heatwaves strain schools, hospitals and workplaces. London mayor Sadiq Khan has backed calls for a maximum workplace temperature, while Green MP Ellie Chowns told the BBC that constituents in Herefordshire are increasingly worried about working in extreme heat.

Chowns said dozens of local schools had closed during the heat, adding that "a climate crisis" is becoming "a health crisis." Fellow Green MP Hannah Spencer has proposed legislation that could pave the way for legal workplace heat limits, a move Khan also supports.

What could this mean for UK politics?

Polanski's attack matters because the Greens have surged under his leadership, drawing support from former Labour voters disenchanted with Starmer. With membership more than tripling and poll numbers tracking Labour, the party is fighting to keep disillusioned left-leaning voters from returning to Burnham's Labour.

Polanski insisted only "bold action" could lift the country from its slump, calling for rent controls, wealth taxes and a full ban on UK arms exports to Israel. For more on how political stories are shaping the news cycle, see our Streaming & TV Alerts coverage.