Zack Polanski, the leader of Britain's left-wing Greens, has lost a by-election in London's Holborn and St Pancras constituency. Polanski, who is Jewish but has made the Greens avidly pro-Palestinian, was contesting the seat after former UK leader Keir Starmer stood down. The by-election was seen as an early test of Labour Prime Minister Andy Burnham's popularity. Polanski secured one-third of the vote, compared to Labour candidate Sagal Abdi-Wali's 45 percent.
Sagal Abdi-Wali, who arrived in Britain as a child refugee in the 1990s after fleeing war in Somalia, was declared the winner in the early hours of Friday. Abdi-Wali, who now leads the local council, will represent the constituency which has been held by Labour continuously since its creation in 1983. The contest was a two-horse race between Labour and the Greens, which have enjoyed a surge in membership since Polanski became its leader in September last year.
Polanski has moved the party leftwards and made it staunchly pro-Palestinian, capitalising on anger at the Labour government's stance on the Israel-Hamas war under Starmer. His party backed a motion to define Zionism as racism, which was widely condemned by mainstream UK parties, British Jewish groups, and Israel's government. Israel's foreign ministry announced on Sunday that Polanski was barred from the country after Green Party members backed the motion.
The motion also voiced support for the establishment of a "single democratic Palestinian State in all of historic Palestine". The Green Party has celebrated a "huge swing in one of Labour's safest seats", with a Green Party spokesperson saying voters had "delivered a message" that "they want real change" on issues including climate change, soaring rent prices, and "justice for Palestinians".
Despite losing the by-election, Polanski told Britain's Sky News he would stay on as leader of the Greens. The 43-year-old former actor and hypnotherapist has been at the helm of the party since September last year. The Greens have enjoyed a surge in membership under his leadership, but the party still faces challenges in winning over voters in key constituencies.
The by-election result has been seen as a significant test of the Labour government's popularity, with Prime Minister Andy Burnham facing pressure to deliver on key issues such as climate change and the economy. The result has also highlighted the challenges faced by the Greens in winning over voters in key constituencies, despite their growing membership and profile.
The controversy over Zionism has highlighted the deep divisions within British politics over the issue of Israel and Palestine. The debate has sparked concerns about antisemitism and racism, with mainstream UK parties and British Jewish groups condemning the Green Party's motion as antisemitic. The issue is likely to continue to be a contentious one in British politics in the coming months.
Key points
- - Zack Polanski, the leader of Britain's left-wing Greens, lost a by-election in London's Holborn and St Pancras constituency. - Polanski's party backed a motion to define Zionism as racism, which was widely condemned by mainstream UK parties and Israel's government. - Despite losing the by-election, Polanski will stay on as leader of the Greens.
