Any hope and promise Zack Polanski brought to British politics has quickly diminished, and the Green Party looks less likely than ever to get into Government, according to JJ Anisiobi.
Writing in an opinion piece, Anisiobi admits he was initially a reluctant believer when Polanski first burst onto the political scene, finding him interesting, energetic and a source of hope. However, he argues the Greens have since gone from one mad idea to another, obsessing over issues most ordinary people do not care about.
Inclusive language guidance criticised
The latest example is new guidance on inclusive language. Green Party members are reportedly being discouraged from using phrases including “elderly”, “female politician” and “mothers and fathers”. Also on the list are “able-bodied”, “sex-change”, “homosexual”, “lady doctor”, “youngster” and “sexual preference”. Members are even warned against calling somebody “a nutter” because it could reinforce negative stereotypes around mental health.
Anisiobi acknowledges the intention behind the guidance, noting that language matters and nobody should deliberately demean people. However, he argues there comes a point where inclusivity starts looking like a committee deciding which perfectly ordinary words the rest of us should avoid.
Advice to get serious
Offering free advice to Polanski, Anisiobi urges him to get serious and stop worrying about whether people say “elderly” or “older people”, or “mothers and fathers” instead of “parents and carers”. He calls on the Greens to explain how they will bring household bills down, protect pensioners' living standards, make housing affordable for working families, control Britain's borders, improve public services and make people feel safer in their communities.
He warns that holding raves and building a TikTok following will not persuade millions of ordinary voters that the party understands their lives. “Britain has enough problems already, the English language isn't one of them,” he writes, adding that policing whether people say “youngster” just ends up sounding like a nutter.
Deepfakes and community spirit
In the same column, Anisiobi comments on the government's announcement of a new National Centre for Information Defence, designed to counter foreign disinformation and AI-generated deepfakes. He argues the greatest danger is not simply being fooled by something fake, but that people will stop believing anything is real. He highlights the case of his friend Narinder Kaur, who was the victim of deepfake pornography, with fake sexual images circulated online that some believed were genuine.
Anisiobi also praises husband-and-wife duo Gary and Shannon Bonnick in Birmingham, whose initiative Wear Change sells vintage, pre-loved clothes at affordable prices while donating a percentage of profits to local charities. The couple are looking for businesses across the West Midlands to collaborate with them.
