Overview
- Zack Polanski, the Green Party leader, told BBC Radio 4 on Wednesday that he “used the wrong word” when he called himself a British Red Cross spokesperson and said he had only hosted fundraisers and spoken on the charity’s stages.
- The British Red Cross said he was never a spokesperson and stressed it stays out of party politics, and the charity raised the issue with the Greens.
- Polanski faced a backlash after he reposted criticism of police who arrested the Golders Green stabbing suspect, which the Met commissioner called inaccurate, and he later apologised for sharing in haste and corrected a claim that the suspect was handcuffed.
- Labour publicised allegations about 25 Green local candidates over antisemitic or extremist posts, with two people arrested on suspicion of stirring up racial hatred, and the Greens said some candidates were suspended and that vetting and training will be tightened.
- Polling by More in Common reported a 14‑point slide in Polanski’s approval and YouGov found rising unfavourables, as senior figures from other parties and former Green leader Caroline Lucas pressed him over judgment and party standards.