False Claims About British Red Cross Role
Zack Polanski, leader of the Green Party, has been reported by the British Red Cross to have falsely claimed to be a spokesperson for the charity during his campaign for the party leadership. This claim was also present on his personal website in 2020, where he stated he was “really proud of the work we do.”
The British Red Cross informed the Times that Polanski “has not been a spokesperson” for the organisation and that it had raised this issue with the Green Party.
Polanski shared multiple posts on X showing him hosting fundraisers for the British Red Cross. He wrote,
“I’ve always admired the work of the British Red Cross. From their work to support refugees to their work supporting people in Gaza & conflict zones around the world.”
A spokesperson for Polanski did not directly address the false spokesperson claims but criticised the Times for publishing what they described as an antisemitic cartoon of Polanski over the weekend, depicting him with an exaggerated large nose.
“Instead of apologising, the same paper that published an incredibly offensive antisemitic cartoon of Zack Polanski is devoting column inches to bottom of the barrel stories,”the spokesperson added.
Membership Claims in National Council of Hypnotherapy
The Times also reported that Polanski was not a full member of the National Council of Hypnotherapy, despite his claims to the contrary.
Polanski’s background as a hypnotherapist has been scrutinised following a 2013 article in The Sun, published before his political career began, in which he offered hypnosis aimed at increasing a woman’s breast size.
He has issued repeated apologies for this episode, stating that it was not a service he regularly provided and that he had only agreed to the procedure at the request of the Sun journalist.
However, the BBC later uncovered an interview conducted six days after the Sun article, in which Polanski described the procedure as
“a successful project”with the journalist, suggesting he had attempted the technique with other individuals.
Green Party’s Electoral Ambitions and Controversies
The Green Party is aiming to make significant electoral gains in the upcoming Thursday elections, particularly in London, where some disillusioned Labour voters have been attracted to Polanski’s leadership.
However, the party has been embroiled in several controversies during the campaign, including allegations of antisemitic remarks made by multiple candidates. Two Green candidates for Lambeth council in south London, Sabine Mairey and Saiqa Ali, are under suspicion of inciting racial hatred online.
On Tuesday, former Green Party leader Caroline Lucas publicly condemned candidates who have made antisemitic comments or posts.
“Statements that have now come to light from a handful of @TheGreenParty candidates are totally unacceptable & require immediate action,”she stated.
“There’s no place for antisemitism or any hate speech in the party. This is a society-wide problem and needs to be rooted out wherever it’s found.”
Labour Party Response
A Labour Party spokesperson called on Polanski to be transparent with the public, commenting:
“After previously fibbing about his weird hypnotic past, Zack Polanski has been caught in the act again.”
“It’s not the first time the Green party leader hasn’t been straight with the public. He refuses to say if his council candidates have been suspended for vile antisemitism after claiming to have acted. Now there are serious questions about the work and qualifications he has boasted about. This is a matter of trust.”
