Zack Polanski's days as Green Party leader appear numbered following a humiliating defeat to Labour's Sagal Abdi-Wali in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election. The former hypnotist's political influence over his party has been broken, according to analysis by political editor Martyn Brown.
Campaign gamble collapses
Polanski had hoped to conquer Keir Starmer's old constituency and position himself as a kingmaker of radical left politics. Instead, the gamble collapsed into farce. Desperate to rescue his campaign, he cut short his attendance at the Greens' annual conference in Brighton.
By sneaking away early to campaign in London, he was absent when party activists voted through a toxic and damaging “Zionism is Racism” motion. That vote plunged the party into full-scale meltdown, exposing it as unfit for mainstream political life, the analysis said.
Approval ratings and internal pressure
His personal approval ratings have plunged to a net rating of -29 after he re-shared offensive social media posts depicting violence against Nigel Farage. Activists and party insiders are already sharpening their knives to remove him.
Polanski's downfall is music to the ears of Prime Minister Andy Burnham. Burnham's arrival in Downing Street hastened the demise of the so-called “Green surge” that saw the party snatch Gorton & Denton earlier this year. By holding Holborn and St Pancras comfortably, Burnham demonstrated Labour can hold off challenges from radical flank candidates when the threat is tackled head-on.
Impact on Labour's agenda
Polanski's imminent removal will plunge the Greens back into bitter factional civil war. Without his media-savvy antics to command the headline agenda, the party's momentum will evaporate entirely.
For Burnham, this couldn't come at a better time. A shattered, leaderless Green Party removes the primary threat to Labour's left flank, giving No 10 breathing space to push forward the legislative agenda unchallenged. It could also result in Labour extending its slim poll lead over Nigel Farage's Reform UK and Kemi Badenoch's Tories.
The overall message from voters is loud and clear: the Green circus is over, Zack Polanski is heading for the exit.
