Full Breakdown
Zack Polanski’s by-election defeat and the fallout over the Green Party’s “Zionism is racism” motion
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
Labour candidate Sagal Abdi-Wali retained Holborn and St Pancras with roughly 45 % of the vote and a majority of about 3,300 over Green leader Zack Polanski, who fell just under 33 %. The result came after the Green Party conference in Brighton adopted a motion defining Zionism as a form of racism and calling for a single democratic Palestinian state. Polanski missed the conference vote while campaigning and now faces pressure to resign.
Background & Context
At the Brighton conference the rank-and-file passed the motion with over a thousand votes, marking the first time a major UK party has formally labelled Zionism as racism and endorsed a one-state solution. Polanski, who became leader in September 2025, said he would have supported the amended motion but not the original wording. Party membership has more than tripled in the past year, driven in part by activists focused on the Middle-East issue.
Data & Statistics
- Labour: 45 % (?12,300 votes)
- Greens: 33 % (?8,900 votes), a 22-point rise from the 2024 general election
- Conservatives: 7 %; Reform UK: 6 %; Liberal Democrats: 3 %
- Turnout fell to about 39 % from 54 % in 2024
- Green membership grew from roughly 60,000 to 220,000 in the last twelve months
- YouGov poll after the count: 34 % of the public thought Polanski should resign, 20 % supported him staying; among Green voters, 47 % favoured his continuation and 22 % wanted him to step down.
Official Statements & Responses
Polanski told BBC Breakfast he would “absolutely” remain leader and that his future would be decided by party members at next year’s leadership election. He called the motion “imperfect,” agreeing with its substance but rejecting a party decision on the region’s future.
Vivien Lichtenstein, chair of the Jewish Greens, called Polanski’s absence a “big mistake” and urged his resignation, saying she was considering leaving the party.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham described the motion as “terrible judgement” and urged the Greens to reverse it.
Criticism & Opposition
Lichtenstein argued that Polanski’s failure to intervene fell short of his duty to the party and its Jewish members. Caroline Lucas and former co-leader Jonathan Bartley echoed concerns about his silence, and senior Greens including MP Sian Berry warned the controversy could alienate both pro- and anti-Zionist factions.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
YouGov surveys differ: 34 % of the broader public favour Polanski’s resignation, while 47 % of Green voters prefer he stay. No definitive data exist on how the motion will affect the party’s standing in upcoming national elections, leaving analysts uncertain about long-term impact.
Verbatim Quotes
- “No, I think he should resign.” — Caroline Lucas
- “People said to me over and over again, ‘We really like the Green Party. We like your policies to end rip off Britain, for rent controls, to nationalise Thames Water. But we just want to give Andy Burnham a chance.” — Zack Polanski
- “Let’s see what happens in the coming days and weeks.” — Andy Burnham
- “On the climate crisis, Labour will not have an easy political ride if they bring in new North Sea drilling.” — Ms Abdi-Wali
- “He's been elected for two years and so he has another year of his term to run. We don't do things in the Green Party the way that other political parties do. We don't depose leaders by gossip and criticism.” — Jenny Jones