Local elections 2026 live: Polanski admits using ‘wrong word’ in false claim he was British Red Cross spokesperson

The Green Party leader also defended his response to footage of the alleged Golders Green attacker being tackled by police
Zack Polanski has acknowledged he was wrong to say he was a spokesperson for the British Red Cross .

The Green Party leader made the false claim as he campaigned to become the party’s deputy leader back in 2022, as first reported by the Times.

Asked about the reports, Mr Polanski admitted he “used the wrong word” and said the post had been removed.

It comes as Mr Polanski battles plummeting approval ratings after sharing a social media post criticising police officers for kicking the suspect in the Golders Green attack while arresting him.

The social media post was condemned both by politicians from other parties and Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley, who said it was “inaccurate and misinformed”.

Mr Polanski apologised for sharing the post in haste but said that he was “traumatised by seeing someone handcuffed and repeatedly kicked in the head”.

The Greens are also facing accusations of antisemitism, after Labour said it would release a document which they say exposes 25 Green Party local election candidates for having “disturbing views”.

Voters are set to go to the polls for the Scottish and Welsh parliaments on Thursday, as well as for local councils across England.

Polanski wrongly claims Golders Green terror suspect was handcuffed in video that sparked row with Met Police
Zack Polanski has incorrectly claimed that the Golders Green terror suspect was handcuffed in a video that sparked an incendiary row between the Green leader and the Metropolitan Police.

In an interview on the BBC’s Today programme, Mr Polanski said he was “traumatised by seeing someone handcuffed and repeatedly kicked in the head”.

But the video, widely circulated online, clearly shows the man, on the floor after being Tasered, but not in handcuffs, with officers grappling to get something out of his hands.

Polanski wrongly claims terror suspect was handcuffed in video that sparked row
Greens are taking action to tackle antisemitism, Polanski says
Zack Polanski said his party was taking action to tackle antisemitism.

Confronted with a series of comments made by his candidates, the Green leader told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “Those messages are all unacceptable, and it’s important to condemn that.

“The Green Party are an anti-racist party and it’s important that we stick to our values.”
He said there would be a “standardised vetting process” in future, with compulsory training for candidates, “to make it clear that antisemitism is completely unwelcome in the Green Party, as it is in society”.

“It is also important to say one case of antisemitism is one too many.

This is a handful of cases and actually we have over 4,500 candidates, the vast, vast majority of which are doing amazing work in their communities right now,” he said.

Polanski admits he was wrong to describe himself as Red Cross spokesperson
Green Party leader Zack Polanski has acknowledged he was wrong to say he was a spokesperson for the British Red Cross.

The Green Party leader made the claim as he campaigned to become its deputy leader back in 2022, which was first reported in The Times newspaper on Tuesday.

Asked about the claim by BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Mr Polanski said: “I hosted various fundraisers for the British Red Cross, and indeed I would go on stage and speak for them about the amazing work they do tackling humanitarian crises, on the climate crisis, and indeed, for refugees all around the world.

“I used the wrong word, and I accept that, but I would essentially take words on stage with me and speak.

“It’s important, though, and I accept this, that they don’t support any political party, and I’ve made sure that’s been taken down.”
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