Zack Shuts Down Rumour

Green Party leader Zack Polanski has shut down speculation that he once dated Labour Health Secretary Wes Streeting, responding with a joke after the idea surfaced on social media.

The exchange began on 13 May, when lawyer Dr Iain Darcy, posting on X as a Green supporter, quipped that the only revelation capable of damaging Polanski would be a past romance with Streeting, adding that there would be no recovering from it.

Polanski, who is gay, quickly joined in and clarified that he and Streeting, also gay, have never been romantically involved.

“I’ve said I’ve made mistakes and that nobody is perfect, but on this you really don’t have to worry!” he replied.

The lighthearted moment arrives as Polanski continues to attract attention beyond routine party politics, particularly through his outspoken support for LGBTQ+ communities and trans rights.

In March, he delivered a keynote speech at the launch of TransActual’s Trans Lives 2025 report, an event introduced by the organisation’s president, Helen Belcher. The report examined the lived experiences of trans people in the UK and highlighted the effects of hostile media coverage, political rhetoric, and barriers in healthcare and daily life.

Speaking at the launch, Polanski reflected on growing up under Section 28 and on his experiences as both a gay man and a Jewish man, using that perspective to argue for solidarity across marginalised communities. He stressed that while those experiences are not equivalent to being trans, they can still foster empathy and a shared understanding of exclusion.

His remarks aligned with the report’s broader message, which TransActual policy lead Tammy Hymas later framed around the need for collective action and resistance to political and cultural hostility facing trans people in Britain.

Polanski also urged cross-party and cross-campaign cooperation, arguing that communities facing discrimination are stronger when they act together. His comments positioned him not only as a rising Green Party figure, but also as a vocal participant in the wider public debate over LGBTQ+ rights in the UK.