Ruth Woodhouse : Could you explain your suggestion that the UK should leave NATO?

There’s important nuance here – and it was completely missed in the headline!

Donald Trump has talked about annexing Greenland – one of our allies. That confirms how unpredictable, unstable and dangerous he is. Rather than relying on a nuclear alliance dominated by the US (and a President who says that he “admires Putin”), we should be building alternative international partnerships based on diplomacy, peace, and cooperation – especially with our European neighbours and the global south. That’s what global leadership should look like.

Peter Corr : In 2023 at National Rejoin March you spoke strongly in favour of Rejoining the EU. Will you firmly make that Green Party policy if you become party leader?

Green Party policy isn’t decided by the leader – it’s decided democratically by our members at our national conference. We’re a one member, one vote party.

But my personal view is clear: no version of Brexit could ever be better than remaining in the EU. And yes – I’ve always supported rejoining – as does the party!

Helen Johnston : Would the Green Party support joining forces with European Movement UK to campaign on environmental issues?

We already do! In fact, Caroline Lucas is President of the European Movement.

Michael Soffe : Do you have a vision of how you should strengthen your relationship with other green parties that have representation in the European Parliament?

Yes – and I’m going to Brussels tomorrow (at time of writing!) for an annual meeting with Green Party leaders from across Europe. I’ve attended many times before and will continue to build those links – even though a lot of the conversation understandably still centres on the European Parliament. I find it most helpful that the challenges facing our colleagues across the continent often have very obvious parallels to challenges we face in the UK too. And often we even have solutions!

David Eldridge : Would you favour an electoral pact between the Greens and Lib Dems? 

No. The Green Party received nearly 2 million votes in our best election ever. We’ve shown that even under First Past the Post, when we focus our efforts, we win.

I’m elected under Proportional Representation in London, so I work across party lines every day – but that’s different from electoral pacts. Cooperation with other politicians is essential but voters deserve a clear Green choice on the ballot.

We offer a unique platform: environmental, social, racial, and economic justice – and I’m confident many more people will choose that at the next election.

Steve Wilson : How would you tackle the issue of the mainstream media giving so much airtime to Reform UK and so little to the Greens, despite the comparable number of MPs?

I’ve been working with the Media Reform Coalition – and gave the keynote speech at their event last month. Our media system is broken. We urgently need more transparency, regulation, and accountability.

That said – since announcing my leadership bid, we’ve seen a major spike in Green Party media coverage. I’ve done a huge number of broadcast interviews, and you can find many of them here.

When we speak clearly about what we stand for – and against – we cut through. I plan to do a lot more of that!

Lisa Burton : What would you say were the benefits of Starmer’s ‘reset’ deal and where does it fall short?

Honestly, I don’t think it was much of a deal. It was encouraging to hear some recognition that we need a better relationship with Europe – but he missed the most obvious next step. Rejoining the customs union would be a straightforward, sensible move that would immediately benefit us all.

Of course, the long-term goal should be to rejoin the EU.

Valerie Chaplin : Can the two-party system ever be overcome without PR, and what would you regard as a reasonable timescale for fighting the battle for electoral reform?

Absolutely. The two-party system wasn’t always the status quo – and it doesn’t have to be the future either.

The Green Party has made net gains in local elections every year for the last eight years. We’ve shown we can win – and as Labour loses trust and credibility, a hung parliament is entirely possible at the next general election.

If we do find ourselves with influence, Proportional Representation will be central to our demands. It’s not just about fairness – it’s about making politics work better for everyone.

Steve Wilson : How effective is art – and satire in particular – at alerting the public to the dangers of far-right extremism?

I feel that art – of any form – has always been very powerful at highlighting the threat posed by the far-right. I am hugely influenced by John Heartfield, an artist who made anti-Nazi photomontages in 1930’s Germany. He was a pioneer of using art as a weapon and, in doing so, placed himself in immense danger; he had to evade capture by the SS and escaped to what was then Czechoslovakia. His work was visually striking, carrying the gravest of messages, but also highly satirical and funny.

Even today there is something gratifying in laughing at the absurdity of some of narcissistic sociopaths we have to endure. That is what I try to do with my photomontages; create something that stands out and grabs people’s attention as they scroll through social media. Art alone will of course never be enough and there are very brave people who take to the streets to stand up to nazis and the far right. 

Valerie Chaplin : What do you think of Labour politics and the state of the UK at present?

Starmer has been a huge disappointment so far. Yes of course, they inherited a skip full of shit (that was on fire) after 14 years of the Conservatives, but it seems he is more concerned with winning over Reform voters than sticking to election promises. It’s obviously a tough job, especially in the circumstances, but it’s awful to see the Labour government lurching ever further right, with the poorest and most vulnerable in society being punished. 

I was never a massive fan of Starmer, but I didn’t think that I would have to focus on him in my work quite so much, quite so soon. 

David Eldridge : Who are your favourite politicians or personalities to depict?

It is a blessing and a curse to be doing what I do at this point in history. On the one hand I am desperately worried for the future of my three daughters – and would give up my career as Cold War Steve in a heartbeat to go back to pre-Brexit, pre-Trump times. On the other hand, I have so much material to work with and my anger will drive my work for years to come. 

There is also an abundance of grotesque characters with which to work. I don’t have a favourite, but I do enjoy creating naked Trump and Ketamine guzzling Musk. 

It is important to take a break from all of them when I can to be honest. Boris Johnson’s face became too much for me after a bit. Literally looking at him all day long for months. I was grateful to see the back of him on every level. 

Anon : When many are leaving Musk’s ‘X’ to avoid the extremism, what would you recommend? Leave the platform for woker waters or stay and fight back?

I did toy with the idea of abandoning Twitter last year. However, I thought fuck it. Fuck him. Twitter is where I made my name, where my art first broke through with an audience. It always had unsavoury elements, but it gave me the opportunity to share my work and gain an audience – bypassing the impregnable and unfathomable ‘artworld’. I guess I think it is important that I still post on there, even though my work gets a fraction of the views it used to get pre-Musk algorithms. Feels like a small form of resistance I suppose. 

What I do miss is the interaction with my audience. I built up so many friends over the years and always enjoyed reading their comments. During the dark days of post-Brexit referendum and then Covid, it was so comforting to hear from like-minded individuals, who were equally as dismayed and angry as I was. I do not read comments on Twitter anymore. It’s too distressing. People with actual ‘British Union of Fascists’ logos as their profile picture. I mean, WTF? 

Helen Johnston : If you were PM with a large majority, what would be your priorities in the current political climate?

This is going to sound ridiculously idealistic and simplistic, but I would do whatever it takes to make a fairer society; tax the rich, reverse Brexit, stop the demonising of immigrants, the elderly and disabled. I don’t think it is too much to ask. 

Trying to rebuild some of the damage done to politics. To reestablish faith in good politicians, political parties and democracy. I hear from too many people how they have given up hope completely, I worry people feel that the whole system should be inherently distrusted and at worst completely demolished. The status quo is shit, but how do we start to build something different? I suppose that is the big one.

Terry Haines : There are a lot of artists who do photo montage satirical work. Do you and they worry about AI being used by non-artists making your efforts redundant? What is the solution?

I am a staunch ‘non-AI’ artist. I use actual photographs, taken by a human being. The advancements in AI imagery are insane, but I find they all lack any detailed nuance. It’s a realistic picture of Trump crying, holding a cat or something. I always feel an image is more powerful if it has a sort of punk ‘DIY’ human quality. Or a background of a 1970’s Working Men’s Club!

Zack Polanski is Deputy Leader of the Green Party and a member of the London Assembly. Before politics, Zack was a former theatre actor and worked on Erasmus with young activists from all over Europe. Zack is currently running to be the next leader of the Green Party.

If you would like to submit a question(s) for Zack, please email us no later than Monday 9 June.

Caroline is Co-President of the European Movement, having previously served as the UK’s first Green Party MP between 2010 and 2024. Caroline also served as Leader and Co-Leader of the Green Party, and for 10 years as an MEP in the European Parliament.

She is a writer, campaigner and keynote speaker, who has won numerous awards for her work. Her latest book – ‘Another England: How to Reclaim our National Story’ – is a Sunday Times bestseller.

Michael Soffe : How can the Green Party overcome the voting system in the UK without PR? Is there something that you feel should be done differently?

Our democracy is broken. Nearly two million people voted Green at the General Election last year, and under a system of PR, that could have delivered us over 40 MPs – which would have been transformational! Instead we have four – a result that’s not only unfair, it’s a democratic crisis that leaves so many people’s voices unheard. The current system reflects an outdated political paradigm that serves the two big establishment parties and stifles the real change this country desperately needs. My hope is that, before the next election, the Labour leadership finally realises this – and recognises that it’s also in their interests to embrace electoral reform. 

Labour’s members have already made their views known, when Conference voted three years ago in favour of changing the system – but Keir Starmer ignored them. It’s time he listened. But even with just four MPs, Greens are making a real difference – putting issues high on the political agenda that simply wouldn’t otherwise be there, like more ambitious climate and nature policies, bringing public services into public hands, introducing a wealth tax and – of course – much closer ties with the EU. And at a local level, Greens are going from strength to strength, with over 800 councillors, and serving as members of the administration of 40 councils.

Ruth Woodhouse : What was your greatest “takeaway” from your time as an MEP?

That the European Parliament does some really important and effective things – but we need to communicate about them so much better! During the Brexit referendum, it became clear that the vast majority of the British public had no idea that British politicians were co-legislators in Europe – which allowed the Leave campaign to claim that that EU policy was being ‘imposed’ on people. That said, the EU also needs to be more transparent and accountable so that people can genuinely see how decisions are made, and know how to influence them.

Tracy Rolfe : What effect has Brexit had on the environment and green initiatives?

A very damaging one! It’s been said that, post Brexit, environmental legislation in Britain is facing death by a thousand cuts. For example, a number of toxic chemicals that are banned in the EU can still be used in the UK. As a result, over 100 food items are allowed to carry more pesticide when sold to the UK public. It also means our waters are dirtier, and our consumer products are more likely to contribute to global deforestation. 

I’m pleased that the European Movement is now doing more to campaign on the environmental impacts of Brexit and, in particular, is calling on the Government to seek to rejoin the European Environment Agency as a first step: a practical way of working more closely together on shared common problems over shared species and habitats, and also a practical way of building trust and confidence. 

Steve Wilson : The Government insists that the US remains a valuable ally. Should the UK speak out against Trump as Canada, France and others have done, and what would be the ramifications of doing so?

I believe the UK should stand up to bullies. And if we did so in close cooperation with our European neighbours and others who share our values, like Canada, we’d likely be in a much stronger position than we are right now. At the moment we face the worst of both worlds – the so-called ’special relationship’ hasn’t shielded us from US tariffs, and being outside the EU means greater trade friction with European partners too. Trump had to back down over his latest round of tariffs, and is now weaker. We should capitalise on the opportunity to work together in all of our interests, rather than each suing for the most advantageous deal possible for our own individual ’national interest’.

Anon : Is Labour’s determination not to break their manifesto promises – even if harmful to economic growth and stability – ensuring they’ll be a one-term Government?

I imagine you’re talking specifically about their totally arbitrary ‘fiscal rules’ and their inflexible red lines over Europe? If so, I’d agree that it puts their re-election chances in real jeopardy. Worse, they could well be making it more likely that Reform UK will do well. People didn’t vote Labour to see more cuts to welfare and public services. I’ve been horrified to see how Labour’s response to the rise of the populist right has been to shift in their direction, rather than standing up to them. Their recent Facebook ads advertising tougher migration policies, deliberately branded as if it were from Reform, were a particularly low point. Both Starmer and Reeves keep saying the world has changed. I agree with them. So why haven’t they changed their policies to align with this new reality?

Trevor Andrews : If you were in charge of the EU, what change would be your key priority?

Properly funding the European Green Deal policies, and making them more ambitious, alongside a genuinely just transition for affected workers. That way the EU could be a real beacon of best practice and could demonstrate that Green policies tackle both social injustice and environmental degradation.