Zack Polanski Vows to Stay as Green Leader Amid Mounting Criticism

Green Party leader Zack Polanski has vowed to remain in his post despite facing significant internal pressure and calls for his resignation following a bruising by-election defeat. Polanski finished second to Labour in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election in former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's former London constituency. Although the Green Party increased its vote share significantly compared to the 2024 general election, the defeat has been overshadowed by an escalating row concerning party policy on Zionism and Israel.

The leadership crisis intensified when Vivien Lichtenstein, the leader of the Jewish Greens, publicly stated that Polanski should resign. Lichtenstein described his absence from a party conference vote as a major mistake and disputed claims that he had been working closely with Jewish members of the party. These sentiments were echoed by former Green Party leader Caroline Lucas, who labeled the conference motion as dangerous and flawed from top to bottom, while criticizing Polanski for failing to show decisive leadership during the controversy.

The controversial motion, which was passed by rank-and-file members in Brighton to become official party policy, defined Zionism as an ideology supporting an ethnonationalist Jewish state and backed a single democratic Palestinian state in historic Palestine. Lucas and other critics argued that the motion reflects a growing toxicity within the party. Meanwhile, Jonathan Bartley, a former Green co-leader, called on Polanski to apologize and take responsibility for what he termed a failure of leadership, though he stopped short of demanding an immediate resignation.

Polanski has consistently defended his absence from the conference vote, explaining that he was entirely consumed by urgent campaigning in North London. Speaking to the media, he confirmed that he intends to carry on as leader, emphasizing that the wider political movement is much bigger than any single election or individual motion. The party's next scheduled leadership ballot is not due until the summer of 2027, leaving members to weigh his future against the backdrop of ongoing internal divisions.

Addressing the substance of the conference motion for the first time after days of silence, Polanski stated that he would have only voted for the text if it had included specific amendments and caveats. However, he maintained that the core assertion regarding the displacement of Palestinians being underpinned by racist ideology was evident. As the Green Party grapples with these competing pressures, the leadership faces a delicate balancing act to reconcile differing factions and address concerns raised by both internal critics and external observers.