Local elections 2026 live: Polanski admits he was wrong to claim he was British Red Cross spokesperson after backlash

Analysis by our Whitehall Editor Kate Devlin

With less than 24 hours until voting begins in local elections in England, the Greens should be on top now.

The party was predicted to be one of the biggest winners of the night, along with Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party.

Instead, Green leader Zack Polanski’s popularity ratings took a major hit following a row with the Metropolitan Police chief over a post he shared about the Golders Green stabbings; His ‘net approval’ rating has fallen by 14 points, a new poll shows.

Adding to her woes, the party’s former leader, Caroline Lucas, called on the Greens to take immediate action against candidates who make anti-Semitic comments or posts following a series of lawsuits.

He is under fire for the false claim that he is a spokesman for the British Red Cross and for falsely stating that the terror suspect was handcuffed in the video that led to the fight with the Met boss.

It’s too early to tell how all this will affect Thursday’s elections.

Many voters disillusioned with Labor and the Conservatives are still looking for an alternative.

But after the wave of optimism that followed Mr. Polanski’s election as leader, this is the last place the party wants to be just hours before millions of people enter voting booths across the country.

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Greens leader Zack Polanski said Jeremy Corbyn had put forward many “really positive” ideas for running the country.

As Green Party candidates face accusations of antisemitism, Mr Polanski was asked on BBC Radio 4’s Today program how he would avoid becoming a new version of Mr Corbyn, with Labor facing a similar crisis.

He said: “I think me and Jeremy are very different people and there are a lot of… you know, that question almost invited me to condemn Jeremy Corbyn.

“I think there are a lot of things that Jeremy Corbyn has put forward to this country that I think are really positive. “We’ve talked about wealth taxes and public ownership.

“Speaking for myself right now, I think it’s important that we have this vetting process, that it’s really clear that anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, hate or hate crime of any kind is not welcome in the Green Party.”

Mr Polanski also told the BBC he was “not ready right now” to be prime minister but had learned a lot of political skills and knowledge since winning the Greens leadership and would “definitely start working” in the next few years.

With the Prime Minister facing a sweep of local elections in just over a week, some experts predict the party could see its worst-ever result.

Both Reform and the Greens are predicted to be big winners at the event, as opinion polls show growing discontent for Labor and the Conservatives.

Here are the predictions from pollsters at the University of Exeter Electoral Centre:

In an interview on the BBC’s Today programme, Mr Polanski said he was “traumatised to see someone being handcuffed and repeatedly kicked in the head”.

However, in the video that has spread widely online, the man is clearly seen lying on the ground after being tasered, but he is not handcuffed, with police officers struggling to take something from his hands.

Read the full article here:

Zack Polanski said his party was taking action to combat antisemitism.

Faced with a barrage of comments made by his candidates, the Green leader told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “All of these messages are unacceptable and it is important to condemn this.

“The Green Party is an anti-racist party and it is important that we stick to our values.”

He said that in future there would be a “standardised vetting process” that would include compulsory training for candidates “to make it clear that antisemitism is absolutely not welcome in the Green Party, as it is in society”.

“It’s also important to say that one case of antisemitism is one too many. It’s a handful of cases, and we actually have over 4,500 candidates, and the vast majority of them are doing great work in their communities right now,” he said.

Green Party leader Zack Polanski has admitted he was wrong when he said he was a spokesman for the British Red Cross.

The Green Party leader first made this claim while campaigning to become the party’s deputy leader in 2022. Times Tuesday newspaper.

Asked about his claim by BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Mr Polanski said: “I’ve hosted a number of fundraising events for the British Red Cross and I would actually get on stage and talk on their behalf about the amazing work they’re doing tackling humanitarian crises, the climate crisis and indeed refugees around the world.

“I used the wrong word and I accept that, but actually I would take the words with me on stage and speak.

“It is important, however, that they do not support any political party, and I accept that and have ensured that this is removed.”