Green Party Leader Seeks Activist Help Amid By-Election Struggles and Antisemitism Controversy
Zack Polanski made a late appeal for campaign support as polls suggest a loss in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election, compounded by a party resolution labeling 'Zionism is Racism' and alleged ties of a member to an Al-Qaeda operative.
Green Party leader Zack Polanski has issued an urgent call for activist assistance as he faces a potential defeat in the upcoming Holborn and St Pancras by-election. Polanski, who is seeking to replace Sir Keir Starmer in the constituency, posted an image from a housing estate late Tuesday, requesting help with campaigning on Wednesday.
Polls indicate that Polanski is likely to lose to Labour's Sagal Abdi-Wali. His campaign efforts in London have reportedly overshadowed his participation in the party's recent annual conference in Brighton. He left the conference after delivering a speech on Friday, reportedly attempting to cancel further appearances to focus on his by-election bid.
This move also coincided with his absence during a contentious vote on a resolution that declared 'Zionism is Racism.' The resolution has drawn significant criticism and led to the Green Party being reported to the police. Further controversy emerged with reports that the party member behind the motion has connections to an Al-Qaeda terrorist serving a prison sentence in the United States.
Lubna Speitan, identified in U.S. court documents as a 'close friend' of an Al-Qaeda operative who plotted a suicide bomb attack at Heathrow Airport, was involved in the resolution. Speitan had reportedly offered to provide defense testimony for Minh Quang Pham, a British citizen sentenced to 40 years in the U.S. for supporting Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. Pham admitted to terrorist-related activities, though he denied any intention to carry out the plot.
Polanski abstained from the vote, having already departed the conference to return to campaigning in London. The fallout from the resolution has been significant. Phil Davies, the deputy leader of the Wales Green Party, announced his resignation on Tuesday, citing the 'Zionism is racism' motion as an 'accelerant' to his decision to leave the party after seven years. Davies described the motion as 'imperialistic' and 'idiotic,' stating it had no practical impact in the real world.