The Green Party has returned a donation of £1,539.45 made by its leader, Zack Polanski, because he was not registered to vote when the contribution was made.
Mr. Polanski gave the money to the London branch of his party on September 23 of last year. The donation was deemed impermissible as he was not on the electoral register at that time. A party spokesperson cited "personal security concerns" as the reason for his absence from the register.
Under UK law, donations to political parties must come from individuals listed on the electoral roll. Impermissible donations are typically required to be returned within 30 days of discovery. The Financial Times reported that the funds were returned to Mr. Polanski on June 10 of this year, following a report to the Electoral Commission on October 28 last year.
The Electoral Commission stated that it is reviewing the matter under its regulatory remit, but no formal investigation has been launched. "The guidance makes clear that the law requires donees to report impermissible donations and return them to the donor within 30 days," the commission said in a statement. "If after the 30-day period they become aware that a donation they have accepted is impermissible, they should act quickly to bring themselves into compliance."
Labour has criticized Mr. Polanski for failing to adhere to basic political rules. Anna Turley, Labour chair, commented that Mr. Polanski has a "track record of thinking the rules don't apply to him" and suggested that the public expects politicians to follow established regulations.
Mr. Polanski became leader of the Green Party three weeks before making the donation. He previously served as a Liberal Democrat councillor before switching parties in 2017. This incident follows previous scrutiny of his electoral status. Last month, he admitted to not voting in local elections, stating he lacked the time to register while moving house. The party indicated that Mr. Polanski faced the need for additional steps to vote anonymously due to security concerns, having reportedly been the target of antisemitic and homophobic abuse.