Zack Polanski has been criticised after claiming that he opposed his party’s controversial “Zionism is Racism” motion, despite not voting against it at his party’s conference.
Following his defeat to Labour in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election, the Green Party leader was criticised by Caroline Lucas, the party’s former leader and first MP, for not taking a stance against the motion, but he claimed he was too busy focusing on his by-election campaign.
He told Sky News: “There was a national by-election going on, one of the most important elections in our recent history and people in that election said they wanted to see me on the ground.
“They wanted to see me dealing with local issues, so I did exactly that.”
Asked if he supported the motion, he said: “I would have supported the motion as amended. It wasn’t amended, so no.”
But he added: “Ultimately, I agree with the substance of the motion. Where I disagree is the idea the Green Party should be deciding what the future of the region looks like.”
Vivien Lichtenstein, the chair of Jewish Greens, said that Polanski should resign following his by-election defeat.
She also slammed his inaction over the controversial “Zionism is racism” motion, calling his silence a “big mistake”.
Speaking to Times Radio, she disputed the assertions of senior Green Party figures that they had worked with Jewish members prior to the motion.
Lichtenstein told Times Radio: “I don’t know which Jewish members of the party he’s been working with, it certainly hasn’t been with the Jewish Greens committee.”
Susan Hall, leader of the Conservatives on the London Assembly, said on X: “Amazing he didn’t say it before the vote. The left leaning parties appear to be more interested in Gaza than anything going on here. Some say it’s purely for votes! Dreadful”.
Last week, the Jewish Leadership Council and Board of Deputies, said that the Green Party’s adoption of the “Zionism is Racism” motion had exposed it as an “extremist party”.
They also slammed Polanski for his silence, saying in a statement: “We reserve particular criticism for Zack Polanski, who neither spoke against the motion nor voted. These are not the actions of a leader, but a bystander.”
Labour held Holborn and St Pancras, held by Sir Keir Starmer, the former prime minister, prior to his decision to resign from Parliament.
New MP Sagal Abdi-Wali won 12,292 votes. Zack Polanski had 8,928 votes. George Galloway, whose Workers’ Party also contested the election, won just 314 votes and lost his deposit.
Polanski insisted he will carry on as Green leader despite failing to win a seat in Parliament.
The Green Party of England and Wales leader’s position was being questioned by senior colleagues even before he was unsuccessful in ousting Labour in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election triggered by the resignation of former prime minister Sir Keir Starmer.
Polanski said “of course I can carry on” as party leader but acknowledged that ultimately Green members would decide his fate.
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