Polanski’s problem: how the Greens chose Gaza over the environment | The Edition

It is undoubtable that – under the leadership of Zack Polanski – the Green Party have soared to new heights. Having won their first parliamentary by-election in February, polls consistently show them as a force to be reckoned with on the left of British politics. Much of their success has come at the detriment of Labour, with disgruntled further-left progressive voices opting to vote Green. This, though, is a brand of eco-populism that comes at the expense of the Green Party's roots, or so argues Angus Colwell in the Spectator's cover article this week. Have the Greens ceded the issue of the environment? For this week's Edition, host William Moore is joined by Angus, the Spectator's daily newsletter editor, Life columnist Rachel Johnson and the politics editor of Politics Joe, Ava-Santina Evans. From Nato to nuclear energy, Gaza to trans rights, they discuss whether the Green Party are now guilty of the 'omnicause'; how knowing a person's stance on one subject shouldn't mean their stance on other subjects is obvious. Plus: how much religion is acceptable in public life? The group discuss shadow Justice Secretary Nick Timothy's recent criticism of the Muslim public prayer at Trafalgar Square. Was Timothy right to say it was an 'act of domination'? Are the Conservatives trying to 'out-Reform Reform' on Islam and extremism? And how do we balance freedom of expression with freedom of religion? Produced by Patrick Gibbons. // SUBSCRIBE TO THE SPECTATOR Get 12 issues for £12, plus a free £20 John Lewis/Waitrose voucher https://www.spectator.co.uk/tvoffer // FREE PODCASTS FROM THE SPECTATOR Hear more from The Spectator's journalists on their podcasts, covering everything from the politics of the UK, US and China, to religion, literature, lifestyle and more. https://www.spectator.co.uk/podcasts/ // FOLLOW US https://www.twitter.com/spectator https://www.facebook.com/OfficialSpectator https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-spectator https://www.instagram.com/spectator1828 https://www.tiktok.com/@thespectatormagazine