Former Green Party leader Caroline Lucas has called for immediate action against candidates accused of antisemitic remarks, warning that such comments are 'totally unacceptable'. In a post on X, Lucas said there was 'no place for antisemitism or any hate speech in the party' and urged the party to root out the problem.
The issue has come to light ahead of Thursday's local elections, with several Green candidates facing allegations. In Lambeth, south London, candidates Sabine Mairey and Saiqa Ali were arrested on suspicion of stirring up racial hatred online. Ali allegedly posted an image of an armed man with a Hamas headband, while Mairey shared a post saying 'Ramming a synagogue isn’t antisemitism. It’s revenge.' Both have been suspended.
Other cases include Brian Capaloff, a candidate in Waltham Forest, under investigation for using an anonymous X account to comment on the stabbing of two Jewish men, and Joe Belcher, a candidate in Walsall, suspended after suggesting Hamas might have been paid by Israel for the 7 October attacks. The party's decentralised structure, which gives local parties power over candidate selection, has been cited as a factor in slower disciplinary action.
Green co-leader Zack Polanski, who is Jewish, condemned the comments as 'disgusting' and said he disowned the candidates. He rejected claims that antisemitism is especially prevalent in the Greens, saying it is a 'society-wide problem'. A party spokesperson said vetting procedures are being strengthened to prevent inappropriate candidates.
