Green Party leader Zack Polanski has apologised after admitting he may not have paid the correct amount of council tax while residing on a houseboat in London. The admission comes amid growing scrutiny over whether the vessel, moored in east London, constituted his primary residence.
Unintentional Mistake
A spokesperson for the Green Party described the situation as an “unintentional mistake” and stated that Mr Polanski had “immediately taken steps” to settle any outstanding tax. The spokesperson said: “Until relatively recently, Zack was living on a houseboat, which came with its own unique practical circumstances and considerations. He has immediately taken steps to pay any council tax he may be found to owe. Zack apologises sincerely for the unintentional mistake.”
This statement contrasts with earlier remarks made by the Green Party to The Times, where it was claimed that Mr Polanski rented a room at a different address—with council tax included—and only used the boat “occasionally”.
Government Guidance on Council Tax for Boats
Government guidance specifies that individuals may be liable for council tax on a boat if it serves as their “sole or main” residence. Tax lawyer Dan Neidle, founder of Tax Policy Associates, analysed Mr Polanski’s situation this week and wrote: “If the boat was in fact Mr Polanski’s ‘sole or main residence’ then he and/or his partner should have registered for, and paid, council tax for those three years.”
Security Concerns and Other Details
A Green Party spokesperson added: “For security reasons, we do not comment publicly on Zack’s address. There have recently been two serious incidents which have been reported to the police and are under investigation.” The Times last week reported seeing an advertisement for the sale of the boat in which Mr Polanski’s partner wrote: “We are moving to a house and so will sadly be leaving the gorgeous community behind.” The Daily Mail separately reported that Mr Polanski was registered to vote at a building near the marina, which he is also said to have used as a mailing address.
Political Context
Last week, Mr Polanski declared that two-party politics is “dead” as the Greens won two mayoral contests in London and gained a swathe of council seats in local elections. Hackney and Lewisham elected Green mayors, marking the first directly elected mayors for the party and ousting Labour in both London boroughs. The Greens also took control of two councils, Waltham Forest in London and Norwich, and won constituency seats in the Scottish and Welsh parliaments. Mr Polanski called it “a historic victory” when Zoe Garbett ousted Labour from the Hackney mayoralty on Friday, a position it had held since its creation in 2002. He said: “Two-party politics is not just dying, it is dead and it is buried. And actually, whether it’s here that Labour have been rejected, or whether we’re seeing around the country, it’s very clear that the new politics is the Green Party versus Reform.”
