Green Party Leader Zack Polanski Admits Wrongly Claiming Red Cross Spokesman Role

Zack Polanski, leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, has acknowledged his error in claiming to have been a spokesman for the British Red Cross. The Times reported that Polanski had falsely made this assertion in 2022 during his campaign for party deputy leader.

Polanski stated he had previously hosted fundraisers for the charity but accepted that describing himself as a spokesman constituted using "the wrong word." He added, "It's important though, and I accept this, that they [the Red Cross] don't support any political party and I've made sure that that's been taken down."

The British Red Cross reiterated its neutral and impartial humanitarian stance, confirming it does not engage in party-political activity. A Labour Party spokesperson criticised Polanski, stating it was "not the first time the Green Party leader hasn't been straight with the public," referencing prior allegations regarding antisemitism among Green Party candidates.

Separately, Polanski addressed the party's handling of antisemitism accusations against some candidates, calling the messages "unacceptable." He confirmed the implementation of a "standardised vetting process" and mandatory training "to make it clear that antisemitism is completely unwelcome" within the party. He noted that while "one case of antisemitism is one too many," these represented a "handful of cases" among over 4,500 candidates.

Polanski also reflected on a social media post he shared last week, which criticised the police response to an attack in Golders Green. The post accused officers of "repeatedly and violently kicking a mentally ill man in the head when he was already incapacitated by Taser." Met Police chief Mark Rowley accused Polanski of amplifying "inaccurate and misinformed commentary," leading to Polanski's apology for "sharing a tweet in haste."