Emeritus Prof Christopher MayMar 18

Zack Polanski is about to put his head above the parapet on the Green Party of England & Wales' economic policy.... we can expect there to be be quite a lot of push back despite much of the policy being pretty uncontentious in economic terms....

What will likely create the most noise are the proposals to shift fiscal rules (again) & to equalise tax rates on capital gains with those on income (highly welcome in my view).

The game is on (as they say).

#Greens #economics
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/mar/18/basics-of-life-in-britain-have-been-sold-for-profit-says-polanski

‘Basics’ of life in Britain have been sold for profit, says Polanski

Exclusive: England and Wales Greens leader outlines economic policy including help to meet rising energy costs and water re-nationalisation

The Guardian
Show threadChristine Burns MBE 🏳️‍⚧️📚⧖Mar 18
@ChrisMayLA6 I was struck by how the generally amiable Rory Stewart really went for Polanski over his (at that time) unfinished economic policy ideas when RS and Alaistair Campbell interviewed him in depth for their ‘Leading’ podcast. Over time I’ve come to view RS as more left-leaning than he’ll admit to himself but something about Polanski’s ideas really upset him and brought out the fiercer Tory side because what Polanski talks about really undermines a cross party orthodoxy in UK.
Show threadRegMar 18

@christineburns

Anything that challenges the economic orthodoxy of the last forty years is an affront to both of their careers because they've both been complicit.

@ChrisMayLA6

Show threadClaire McNabMar 18

@ReggieHere I don't think this is about the substance of policy. Rory has made big policy shifts.

AFAICS, this is about #RoryStewart's enduring belief in HOW policy should be formed. Rory wants posh-spoken, well-connected, clubbable chaps in universities and think tanks to form policy in the way they always have.

#ZackPolanski bypasses all that. He challenges not just policies, but the role of chaps like Rory.

Rory is angry because Polanski makes Rory redundant.

@christineburns @ChrisMayLA6

Show threadReg

@2legged

Nicely put, and Polanski is certainly an oik in comparison with Stewart.

@christineburns @ChrisMayLA6

Mar 19 at 8:04amWeb
Show threadRegMar 19

@2legged

Now you've put that in my mind, I'm wondering whether the petulance that centrists show towards the left isn't just a less-posh version of the same thing.

@christineburns @ChrisMayLA6

Show threadClaire McNabMar 19

Shockingky so, @ReggieHere. Polanski isn't even a pal of the King!🙄

Even worse, Polanski thinks they shouldn't be a king! 😱

@christineburns @ChrisMayLA6

Show threadRegMar 19

@2legged

It's 2026. Having a King is an embarrassment to the entire Commonwealth.

@christineburns @ChrisMayLA6

Show threadClaire McNabMar 19

@ReggieHere to be fair, the so-called Commonwealth 8s an embarrassment to itself.

A club of survivors of a rapacious empire, headed by the former emperor. #YCMTSU

At its name is an outrage, because the one thing it certainly is not is a commonwealth.

@christineburns @ChrisMayLA6