In this episode, RoyField Brown revisits his Birmingham radio roots with an interview that blends the local and the political. Green Party councillor Julian Pritchard joins from his ward of Druids Heath and Monyhull, a place that even the most civic-minded Brummies might struggle to locate on a map. But that’s the point. Pritchard has been trying to change that for over seven years, turning up, knocking doors, chasing bin collections, and campaigning for a more equitable form of regeneration that isn’t developer-led and value-extractive. His success there is more than a hyper-local curiosity. It’s part of a wider green moment.

The conversation moves between the nitty-gritty of grassroots activism and the broader surge in national Green Party support, spurred in part by leader Zack Polanski’s recent media breakthrough. Pritchard, a methodical campaigner, credits Polanski with articulating long-held Green values, on social justice and climate policy alike, with clarity and conviction. Unlike Labour’s technocratic drift, the Greens now appear to be talking about transformation and redistribution, and crucially, they’re being heard.

As for Druids Heath, it's a case study in how regeneration can alienate when it doesn’t centre residents. Pritchard pushes back against full demolition plans for the estate, highlighting the murky logic of “affordable housing” that may not be affordable at all. He’s advocating for proper social housing, not policy euphemisms. Amid a national housing debate, the fate of Druids Heath could be a local test case with national implications.

1. "We need somebody like your leader who can grab the attention and articulate a vision, not just for now, but where we are going." — RoyField Brown
2. "It's about changing systems and policies, not saying that everybody makes real choices." — Julian Pritchard
3. "People felt taken for granted, and nobody did anything." — Julian Pritchard
4. "This is trust us from the council that's delivered us equal pay liability, bankruptcy, Oracle disaster, yearlong bin strike..." — Julian Pritchard
5. "To save the planet fairly, we’ve got to focus on both people and planet." — Julian Pritchard

• Green Party UK – Official party site
• Zack Polanski's profile – London Assembly bio
• Birmingham Regeneration Plans – Birmingham City Council’s regeneration proposal for Druids Heath
• Shared Ownership vs. Social Rent Explained – Shelter UK

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What do a Democratic Socialist in New York and a Green Party leader in Britain have in common? Charisma, clarity, and, apparently, a hatred of high bus fares. In this episode of Mid-Atlantic, host Roifield Brown and the transatlantic panel tackle the political rise of Manami in NYC and Zack Polanski in the UK—two left-wing politicians who’ve gone from fringe to front page without watering down their message.

Manami’s victory over Andrew Cuomo to become New York’s mayor-elect wasn’t just an electoral upset; it was a messaging masterclass. Free buses, city-run groceries, and rent freezes—policies that many establishment Democrats wouldn't touch with a barge pole—landed him in City Hall with a wave of grassroots energy and a TikTok-savvy machine behind him. Meanwhile, across the pond, Polanski’s strategic reframing of the Green Party—away from "tree hugger" stereotypes and toward a hard-hitting, cost-of-living political vehicle—has seen the party overtake the Lib Dems and Tories in membership numbers.

But is this revival of unapologetic leftism a fleeting blip, or a realignment? Can charisma and clear messaging finally outgun billionaire-backed centrism and weary technocracy? Roifield is joined by regulars Denise Hamilton (Houston), Steve O'Neill (London), Cory Bernard (Manchester), and Mike Donahue (Los Angeles) to unpack what the centre-left keeps missing—and why hope might just be the most radical policy of all.

Five Standout Quotes:

1. “If people feel seen, they feel heard, they feel valued, they will support you—and they will vote for you.” – Denise Hamilton
2. “Corbyn always sounds like someone’s just stolen his lunch.” – Corey Bernard
3. “Even if you elect Bernie Sanders president, how effectual is he going to be? But the mayor of New York—he can change things.” – Mike Donahue
4. “Polanski just sounds like he enjoys it. Same message as Corbyn, but without the gloom.” – Steve O'Neill
5. “We’ve embraced a cynicism and a hopelessness that Manami rejected—and people gravitated to it.” – Denise Hamilton

Panel Social Handles:

• Denise Hamilton: @officialdham
• Mike Donahue: [@MichaelDonahue on Bluesky]
• Steve O’Neill: [@SteveZeroONeill] – Mostly on LinkedIn
• Cory Bernard: @168Polymer

Next Episode Tease:

Will the UK general election be a bloodbath for Labour—or will Starmer’s centrism survive the green wave? Stay tuned.

Need tweaks to match a specific platform (Spotify, Apple, etc.) or want a shorter version for email/newsletter blasts? Let me know.

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In this charged episode of Mid-Atlantic, host Roifield Brown is joined by Palestinian analyst Mouin Rabbani, along with regular contributors Cory Bernard in Manchester and Mike Donahue in Los Angeles, to lay bare the harrowing conditions in Gaza and the political cowardice of the West. With over 60,000 Palestinians killed and famine declared by the IPC, the panel asks a blunt question: why does the so-called democratic world continue to stall, excuse, and equivocate?

Rabbani underscores the systematic assault not just on Gaza, but on the Palestinian people as a whole — from military aggression and forced displacement to attempts at erasing Palestinian refugees from political consideration. The conversation pivots to the deafening silence from Washington, London, and Brussels, and the wider consequences for international law, human rights, and geopolitical credibility. Meanwhile, domestic shifts are underway: US support for Israel is fracturing along generational lines, while in the UK, groups like Palestine Action face state repression under terrorism legislation — raising questions about civil liberties and the hypocrisy of Western democratic claims.

Finally, the guests wrestle with the viability of a two-state solution. Mouin Rabbani insists that any hope for Palestinian sovereignty must come with political renewal and an end to the current PA-Hamas schism. But even that hinges on one thing Western governments refuse to offer: meaningful pressure on Israel. For now, the focus must be immediate — stop the famine, stop the bombs, and stop the enabling.

1. "The PA has essentially assumed the role of a powerless spectator." — Mouin Rabbani
2. "It's Marjorie Taylor Greene saying, 'Why are we supporting genocide?' That's how much the conversation has shifted." — Roifield Brown
3. "You should not be able to break into an RAF base. That says more about our military than it does about Palestine Action." — Cory Bernard
4. "The West has made Israel a special case because of the Holocaust. That indulgence is eroding — and fast." — Mouin Rabbani
5. "We can talk about statehood tomorrow. But tonight, people are starving. Get them food." — Roifield Brown

• Famine Review Committee / IPC: https://www.ipcinfo.org
• Haaretz Podcast & Coverage: https://www.haaretz.com
• International Court of Justice – South Africa v. Israel (Genocide Case): https://www.icj-cij.org/case/192
• Palestine Action: https://palestineaction.org
• UN Headquarters Agreement: https://www.un.org/en/about-us/host-country

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