On the ground in London as the Greens surge
episodePreviously titled “Will the Greens win over Hackney?” — renamed by the publisher on Aug 2, 2026
Transcript
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
This is The Guardian.
Today, the green surge in London.
It's a chilly morning in early April, and inside a former spice warehouse in South East London, excitement is building. We're in The Friendly Place for the launch of the Green Party's local election campaign. It is a very Green Party kind of venue. Not just the cutesy name, but the artful no-frills vibes. Bare brick walls, peeling plaster, exposed beams.
Good morning, thank you very much. It's amazing to be here in Deptford.
What factors contribute to the Green Party's surge in Hackney?
Zach Polanski bounds onto the stage with a big toothy grin.
It's been a remarkable moment for the Green Party. We have tripled our membership. We've tripled our poll ratings.
He says he is confident that his party is heading for its best ever set of results.
And we are heading for a new record-breaking result for the Green Party.
And it's in Labour London where the Greens particularly fancy their chances. We're going to have a bright green, hopeful London. According to one poll, half of all Londoners attempted to vote for the Green Party next Thursday, with four Labour councils looking within Polanski's reach.
I think Labour are going to be wiped, actually. That's the honest answer. I think they're going to be virtually wiped out. And I think there's going to be quite a few Green-controlled councils.
Buoyed by Hannah Spencer's win in the Gorton and Denton by-election, London's army of Green activists are feeling optimistic. What's making the difference is that amazing by-election win at national level. So people think this is not a wasted vote. People see voting for the Greens can make a difference. But can the Green Party really triumph in a city where they currently control no councils and have just 49 councillors? And can they actually deliver what they're promising? From The Guardian, I'm Helen Pidd. Today in Focus. On the ground, in the capital, as the Greens go on the attack.
Four weeks later, as spring has finally sprung, we've crossed the River Thames to Hackney, one of four boroughs in the capital where the pollsters think that the Green Party have a decent chance of ousting Labour. We've been told to meet a group of Green canvassers at the bus stop outside Lidl on Wells Street, in the south of the borough. They are in very high spirits.
This is Hackney. This is absolutely Hackney. Love it.
Hackney is often described as a Labour stronghold. The party has been in control of Hackney Council for all but seven years since it was founded in 1965. The Greens have a mountain to climb here. 44 of Hackney's 57 councillors are currently Labour, and so is Hackney's directly elected mayor. But the Greens are determined to win here. Perhaps that's because it's where Zach Polanski calls home. So we are in the southeast of Hackney and we're on an estate called the Frampton Estate, which is one of the few estates in Hackney that's still run by the council. So we're looking up at a kind of art deco brick block. They've all got balconies running along the front of the buildings. Oh, you've got a special key to get inside.
Okay. If we roughly split into two groups, one group can head into Bridgman House and the other into Barclay House. We tag along with Rolf, a cheerful local dad who's standing for the Greens for the second time.
How has the Green Party's campaign strategy evolved?
In 2022, he was a paper candidate, a no-hoper who agreed to have his name on the ballot just to make up the numbers. Things are very different this time. He's been pounding the streets so hard that he's had to buy new trainers, which are fresh out of the box today. So where are you from originally, Rolf?
I'm originally from the Netherlands.
Right.
But I've been living here for seven years now.
What brought you here? Work or love?
Love. My wife, she's British. Is she? So, yeah. I've been with the Greens for quite a long time, basically since I moved in, because I was with the Dutch Green Party before. So it made complete sense for me to join the Greens here, which was back then, like, there wasn't even a councillor in Hackney. Now we patiently wait, see if there's something happening, do a polite second knock, and just leave.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–0:49
2
What factors contribute to the Green Party's surge in Hackney?
0:49–3:37
3
How has the Green Party's campaign strategy evolved?
3:37–5:15
4
What challenges do the Greens face in a Labour stronghold?
5:15–7:55
5
What local issues are influencing voters in Hackney?
7:55–10:49
6
How do residents perceive the Green Party's policies?
10:49–14:54
7
What are the implications of the upcoming local elections for the Greens?
14:54–18:51
8
How do voters feel about Labour's performance in Hackney?
18:51–34:15
Speakers
8 identifiedMore from Today in Focus
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