Eleanora Folan, a newly elected member of the Green Party Council representing the Eastern Region, has ignited controversy with a series of online posts that have drawn sharp criticism from political opponents. Folan, who self-identifies as a Communist and an 'anti-Zionist trans woman,' has asserted that the Labour Party is 'infinitely more evil' than the regime in Tehran and responsible for more deaths.
In posts shared on the X account 'Stats for Lefties,' which she manages and boasts nearly 100,000 followers, Folan claimed that the Labour Party has 'killed and maimed far more people in the past 20 years than the Iranian regime could ever possibly dream of doing in a century.' She further stated that Labour, under leaders like Tony Blair and Keir Starmer, is 'directly responsible for far more death, suffering and outright genocide in the 21st century alone than the Iranian regime could ever possibly imagine.'
Folan also called for the left to 'stand firmly against the British state's colonial project to topple the Iranian government,' a statement made after Labour imposed sanctions on Tehran for its crackdown on protesters. Her remarks included prayers for Palestine to be 'freed from the bloodthirsty Zionist entity' and for Israel to be 'abolished.'
Despite these statements, Folan was elected to the Green Party Council (GPC), which oversees culture, wellbeing, policy, and strategy within the party. She posted on X that she welcomed the hatred of 'Zionists' who were furious about her election, stating, 'Our party has changed, and my election as a proud anti-Zionist trans woman symbolises that change.' She has also expressed support for the 'Iranian resistance' and portrayed the USA as an 'imperialist dog.'
Conservative politicians have reacted strongly to Folan's election and statements. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp suggested the Green Party is 'virulently antisemitic' and that praising the Iranian regime, which he described as having 'slaughtered 30,000 of its own citizens,' is 'deeply unpleasant.' Former anti-extremism tsar Lord Walney compared the situation to issues within the Labour Party during the Jeremy Corbyn era, stating the 'sickness' has now 'fully engulfed the Greens.'
A Labour spokesperson called Folan's comments 'disgraceful' and questioned the judgment of Green Party figure Zack Polanski for allowing her to remain in the party and now sit on the governing council.
In addition to her comments on Labour and Iran, Folan has reportedly praised China's communist regime and advocated for significant reductions in Britain's armed forces. A Green Party spokesperson stated that council members are elected via a Single Transferable Vote system and that the party has processes to address views that may not align with its values. Folan was contacted for comment.