Communities Secretary Steve Reed has accused the Green Party of failing to tackle antisemitism within its ranks, ahead of the May 7 local elections. The Cabinet minister criticised Green leader Zack Polanski, urging the party to follow Labour's example and expel members who are openly antisemitic.
Mr Reed highlighted that two Green Party candidates in his constituency had been arrested for allegedly stirring up racial hatred, and claimed the party had not condemned them. He said: “These people were arrested for hate crimes targeting the Jewish community. One of them was back out on the doorsteps this weekend.”
Mr Polanski rejected the accusations, describing the rise in antisemitism as an “emergency” that needs addressing. He told the BBC that while the Green Party has not got everything right, it is working on training and vetting. He described some comments by would-be councillors as “unacceptable” and said they “disgust me”.
A Green Party spokesperson dismissed Mr Reed's criticism as “desperate”, noting that out of more than 4,500 candidates, only a handful had made offensive comments and were no longer supported by the party.
The row comes as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer launched a “whole of society” response against antisemitism following a terrorist attack in Golders Green and a string of arson attacks on Jewish communities in north London. He warned that British values are under threat and urged everyone to stand up against the rise in hatred.
