A British Cabinet minister has rebuked Green Party leader Zack Polanski for a social media post that implied Nigel Farage could face a violent end. Pat McFadden, the Work and Pensions Secretary, emphasized the responsibility of politicians to exercise caution in their online communications. McFadden's comments came shortly after the "appalling murder" of Ann Widdecombe, a former Conservative minister and Reform UK spokesperson.
Farage has called for Polanski's arrest following the circulation of an image on Polanski's Instagram account. The image featured a T-shirt with a cartoon guillotine and the phrase "We're only making plans for Nigel," a lyric from the 1979 XTC song "Making Plans For Nigel." The post, which has since been deleted from Polanski's account, was shared by Farage on his X account, where he wrote that he would expect to be arrested for posting something similarly inflammatory.
Reform UK has referred Polanski to the Metropolitan Police for alleged incitement to murder. The Metropolitan Police confirmed they are making inquiries into a third-party report concerning the image, stating they take such reports "extremely seriously."
McFadden told Sky News that the recent murder of Widdecombe serves as a reminder of the need for politicians to be careful about what they post and share online. He acknowledged that mistakes can happen and that it is up to the police to determine if further action is warranted, noting that this is not the first time Polanski has faced criticism for his social media activity.
Polanski was reportedly tagged in images from a "Green Party Party" event in Bristol, where he wore a T-shirt displaying the slogan "Beware the Green Menace." During his remarks at the event, Polanski stated that division and hate "will never win."
A spokesperson for the Green Party stated that Polanski condemns the image on the T-shirt. The spokesperson explained that Polanski was tagged in a post with multiple images and accepted it without fully seeing its content. The party described the T-shirt as being in "poor taste," particularly given the heightened security concerns for public figures and Polanski's own experiences with threats. The Green Party and Polanski have called for kindness and for an end to further division in public discourse.
A spokesperson for Polanski did not respond to inquiries about whether he had offered a private apology to Farage. The T-shirt design, according to a website selling it for £20, is presented as potentially referencing old punk music or political satire.