Green Party Leader Vows to Remain Amid Mounting Criticism After By-Election Loss

Zack Polanski has declared he will continue as the leader of the Green Party, despite facing internal pressure to resign following his by-election defeat and a recent controversy over a party motion concerning Zionism.

Polanski came in second place to the Labour Party in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election. The Jewish Greens' leader, Vivien Lichtenstein, stated on Friday that Polanski "should resign," calling it a "big mistake" that he did not participate in a debate about a motion passed at a party conference. This motion declared Zionism a form of racism and advocated for a single democratic Palestinian state in all of historic Palestine, including modern-day Israel.

Former Green Party leader Caroline Lucas echoed some of the criticism, accusing Polanski of a failure of leadership over the Zionism row. Lucas described the motion as "dangerous" and "flawed from top to bottom." Jonathan Bartley, a former Green co-leader, called for Polanski to "put his hands up" and "say sorry" but stopped short of demanding his resignation, stating there was now "a certain toxicity" within the party.

Polanski defended his absence from the vote on the motion, citing his campaigning efforts for the by-election. He told BBC Breakfast that he would "absolutely" remain as leader and had not questioned this. He acknowledged the by-election loss but asserted that the Green movement is "so much bigger than one election or one motion."

He confirmed in interviews that he would have only voted for the motion if it had included amendments, calling the passed version "imperfect." However, he stated that the assertion within the motion that "the displacement and genocide of the Palestinian people is clearly underpinned by a racist ideology" was "obvious." He also clarified that anti-Zionism and antisemitism are distinct, and no one would be excluded from the party based on their faith.

The Green Party's next scheduled leadership ballot is in the summer of 2027. The party's vote share in the by-election increased by 22% compared to the 2024 general election, with Labour candidate Sagal Abdi-Wali securing 45% of the vote to Polanski's 33%.

Polanski's handling of the Zionism motion has drawn significant pressure. Four out of five Green Members of Parliament and one of the party's two deputy leaders opposed the motion. Several local members and the European Green Party have distanced themselves from it, and the Green deputy leader in Wales and some councillors have resigned. Prime Minister Andy Burnham urged Polanski to reverse the "completely wrong" motion to prevent it from becoming official policy or appearing in the next election manifesto.

Labour chair Bridget Phillipson drew parallels to her party's past antisemitism issues, telling BBC Breakfast that she believes the Greens now face a "serious problem" with antisemitism.