Green Party Leader Retracts Claim About Red Cross Spokesman

Zack Polanski, leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, has acknowledged he was wrong to claim he had been a spokesman for the British Red Cross. He told the BBC he hosted fundraisers for the charity in the past but accepted he had used the wrong word when describing his role.

The Times reported that the claim appeared on Polanski's personal website in 2020 and again on a crowdfunding page two years later.

Polanski said it was fine for the media to ask questions about his past. He added that some stories about him felt like scraping the barrel. He also stated that owners of the right-wing media were worried about the rise of the Green Party and the prospect of having to pay a little bit more tax.

A British Red Cross spokesperson said the organisation is neutral and impartial and does not take part in party-political activity or campaigns. Polanski said he had made sure the claim had been taken down from his materials.

A Labour Party spokesperson said it was not the first time the Green Party leader had not been straight with the public. The spokesperson added there were serious questions about the work and qualifications Polanski had boasted about. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said Polanski was a man who is in over his head and clearly thinks politics is something fun to do.

Polanski addressed accusations that some party candidates had made antisemitic comments during the current campaign. He said the messages were unacceptable and the party would implement a standardised vetting process plus mandatory training to make clear that antisemitism is unwelcome.

He noted one case is one too many but added the vast majority of more than 4,500 candidates are doing good work in their communities.

Polanski also discussed a row that began last week when he shared a social media post criticising the police response to an attack in Golders Green. Met Police chief Mark Rowley accused him of amplifying inaccurate and misinformed commentary. Polanski later apologised for sharing the tweet in haste and said he had been traumatised by seeing the footage.

He said he is not ready to be prime minister now and still has skills and knowledge to gain. Asked if he would be ready in two years, he said we will see but he will certainly be putting in the work. The Green Party is seeking to reduce the UK’s borrowing costs by tackling the climate crisis and reducing inequality, its leader Zack Polanski said.