Green Party Leader Zack Polanski Accused of Falsely Claiming Role as British Red Cross Spokesman

In archived posts on the Crowdfunder website, Polanski stated he was a spokesperson for the organization while discussing issues like racialized policing and the war on drugs. A British Red Cross spokesperson clarified that while Polanski had supported the charity, he had never served as an official spokesman.

The allegation was first reported by The Times on May 5, 2026, one day before local elections in which the Green Party is projected to make gains. A Labour Party spokesperson stated that Polanski had not been straightforward with the public and raised questions about his qualifications and past claims.

The spokesperson added that voters might question Polanski's credibility.

Polanski made the statement while campaigning for the Green Party deputy leader position in 2022, a role he won and held for nearly three years before becoming leader in September 2025. He currently serves as a Green Party London Assembly member. Labour announced plans to release a document highlighting 25 Green Party local election candidates accused of holding views related to antisemitism, conspiracy theories, and comments supporting Hamas and Russia.

Two of those identified have been arrested on suspicion of stirring up racial hatred toward Jews, according to Labour. A Green Party spokesperson responded that the party is fielding over 4,500 candidates and is investigating cases that do not align with its values, with some suspensions already issued.

The accusations follow a drop in Polanski's approval ratings, which fell 14 points in the past week according to a survey by pollster More in Common. This decline came after Polanski shared a social media post criticizing police actions during an arrest in the Golders Green attack.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley described the post as inaccurate and misinformed, and it drew condemnation from politicians in other parties.