Green Party leader Zack Polanski has thrown his weight behind Scottish and Welsh independence, becoming the first major English party leader to support the break-up of the United Kingdom in a dramatic departure from Westminster’s political consensus.
In an exclusive interview with the Abolish Westminster substack, the eco-populist leader declared his personal support for both Scottish and Welsh independence, whilst also backing the prospect of Wales Green Party becoming fully independent from its English counterpart. His comments come just months before crucial elections to the Welsh Senedd and Scottish Parliament in May 2026.
The newly elected Green leader, who secured a landslide victory with 84% of the vote in September, said Wales had been forced to go “with a begging bowl to the Westminster government” and criticised both Conservative and Labour administrations for demonstrating “a complete resentment, a disrespect, an almost dismissive and exclusionary attitude towards the Welsh people.”
Westminster’s ‘Colonial Mindset’ Condemned
Mr Polanski’s intervention marks the most significant endorsement of Scottish and Welsh independence from an English political leader since devolution began. While leaders of all other major parties – Sir Keir Starmer, Kemi Badenoch, Sir Ed Davey and Nigel Farage – remain committed Unionists, Polanski has positioned the Greens as champions of self-determination.
“In the same way that, personally, I’m in favour of Scottish independence,” Polanski stated when asked about Welsh independence. He drew parallels with London’s situation, arguing that whilst the capital has substantial wealth and power, the Mayor of London lacks sufficient powers to redistribute resources effectively.
The Green leader was particularly scathing about Westminster’s treatment of Wales, citing the Barnett formula and HS2 as examples of systemic unfairness. “They are being affected by decisions at Westminster, but then not getting any benefit from it economically or socially or culturally,” he said, adding: “It just feels like they have just been hit so hard by a government which just doesn’t care about them.”
Rising Support for Independence Across Britain
Polanski’s comments come as support for independence continues to grow in both Wales and Scotland. Recent polling in Wales showed 41% backing independence when undecided voters are excluded – matching levels of Scottish independence support before the 2014 referendum campaign. Amongst younger Welsh voters aged 25-34, support soars to 72%.
The Green leader criticised English and British politicians who attempt to frighten Welsh voters with “scare stories” about independence. “Increasingly, polling shows that there is surging, rising, increasing want for independence, and so how dare any English or British politician turn to Wales and go ‘oh you need us’,” he said.
He argued Britain should be “empowering our neighbours to be able to have everything that we want for ourselves, and that we want for them,” rather than threatening to withhold resources from nations seeking self-determination.
Wales Green Party Set for Historic Split
Senior Welsh Greens have indicated that if the party wins its first Senedd seat in 2026 – which recent polling suggests is likely – they would expect to separate amicably from the Green Party of England and Wales. Currently, the Wales Green Party operates as an autonomous body within the broader party structure.
Polanski expressed full support for this potential separation, stating: “It only makes sense to me that if Wales Green Party want to go at it alone that we maintain a really friendly relationship, we maintain informal ties, as we do with the Scottish Green Party, we all support each other as one family.”
This would leave Polanski leading an explicitly English Green Party for the first time, a prospect he addressed thoughtfully. “I think there is a really exciting narrative to be told about international solidarity across borders – that includes being proud of being who you are locally,” he said.
Scottish Greens Welcome Support
The Scottish Green Party, which has supported independence since separating from the English and Welsh party in 1990, reacted positively to Polanski’s statement. Co-leader Gillian Mackay said: “Zack is right to support independence and bringing power closer to people and communities across Scotland.”
Ms Mackay added: “As Greens we believe in self-determination and the huge potential of Scotland having the full powers of a normal country. It would ensure that we only get governments that we vote for and protect our communities from the devastating damage that has been done by 14 years of Tory governments and is being continued by Keir Starmer.
The Welsh independence movement is preparing for a major march in Rhyl in North East Wales, whilst Scottish Greens are set to launch a “bolder” independence strategy at their upcoming conference this weekend.
Wider Constitutional Reform Agenda
Polanski’s support for Scottish and Welsh independence forms part of a broader attack on Britain’s constitutional arrangements. The Green leader has also called for the abolition of both the House of Lords and the monarchy, representing his most sweeping criticism of the British state since taking office.
His position on independence extends to supporting Irish reunification, effectively making the Green Party Britain’s only pro-English independence party by default – though Polanski was notably more cautious about actively promoting English independence itself.
“It’s not on a personal level something I feel like I want to drive,” he admitted, explaining that “independence often comes when you feel like you’re being oppressed by a greater power, as an English person, I don’t feel that.”
Political Implications
The Green leader’s intervention could have significant ramifications for British politics as independence movements gain momentum. With the SNP likely to secure re-election in Scotland and Plaid Cymru potentially leading Wales’s next government, Polanski’s support adds weight to growing calls for constitutional change.
His comments contrast sharply with Labour’s position under Sir Keir Starmer, who has repeatedly ruled out any independence referendum regardless of electoral outcomes in Scotland or Wales. This hardline unionist stance has been criticised as anti-democratic by independence supporters.
The timing is particularly significant, coming just months after Polanski’s election as Green leader saw party membership surge to over 100,000, overtaking the Liberal Democrats. The party won four MPs at the 2024 general election and is positioning itself as the primary party of the English left.
Breaking the Westminster Consensus
Polanski’s endorsement of independence represents a fundamental challenge to Westminster’s political establishment, where support for the Union has traditionally been treated as non-negotiable across party lines. Even Jeremy Corbyn, during his leadership of Labour, maintained opposition to Scottish independence despite his radical politics.
The Green leader argued that power should operate “at the most local possible level,” adding: “That has to include a country.” He emphasised that supporting subsidiarity and local democracy naturally extends to supporting national self-determination.
His stance may resonate with younger voters across Britain who increasingly question the viability and fairness of the current constitutional settlement. With climate change, economic inequality and democratic reform at the top of the Green agenda, Polanski is betting that a new generation will be receptive to radical constitutional change.
As Britain faces multiple crises – from climate emergency to cost of living pressures – Polanski’s support for independence adds another dimension to debates about the future of the United Kingdom. Whether his position helps or hinders the Green Party’s electoral prospects remains to be seen, but it undoubtedly marks a historic moment in British politics.
Follow for more updates on Britannia Daily
Image Credit:
Green Party group shot — photo by UK Government / No 10 Downing Street, licensed under CC BY 3.0
