Green Leader Accuses Media of Ridicule Over Anti-War Position
Zack Polanski, the leader of the Green Party, has asserted that he is being "ridiculed" by what he terms the "war mongering media" due to his firm anti-war stance. This declaration comes amidst renewed scrutiny over his past claims regarding the ability to enlarge women's breasts through hypnosis alone.
Contradictory Evidence Emerges from Radio Interview
A recently unearthed radio interview from June 18, 2013, has brought Polanski's previous statements into sharp focus. In the interview with BBC Radio Humberside, conducted just six days after a newspaper article detailed his work as a hypnotherapist, Polanski explicitly discussed a "successful project" where he claimed a journalist's breasts grew by "four inches" following hypnosis sessions.
"Increasingly more and more as I work people there's starting to become anecdotal evidence, at least, of a growth in breast size," Polanski stated during the broadcast. He further elaborated that the journalist involved reported a tighter fit in her bra, though her cup size remained unchanged.
Polanski's Recent Denials and Media Backlash
In contrast to the 2013 radio interview, Polanski has more recently asserted that he was "misrepresented" in the original newspaper article and that he apologised "a day later." During an appearance on ITV's Good Morning Britain in September of last year, shortly after his election as Green Party leader, he denied ever believing in or practicing breast enlargement through hypnosis.
"I was misrepresented, I apologised a day later," Polanski told the programme. "I've never done it for men, I've never done it for women, that's not something I believe in."
However, the resurfaced radio interview directly contradicts these statements, showing Polanski not only standing by the claims but actively promoting the concept. This has led to accusations from political opponents, with a Labour source commenting: "It's now clear that his pretence to have been misrepresented over his breast enlargement hypnosis scam was absolute nonsense - he got called out years later, and he lied about it."
Political Context and Green Party's Rising Profile
Polanski's comments on the media come in the context of his vocal opposition to recent military actions, including strikes on Iran by the US and Israel. He has demanded that Britain sever its military ties with America, advocated for leaving NATO, and suggested that, as prime minister, he would seek to build a relationship with Russia's Vladimir Putin.
In a post on X, Polanski fumed: "They try to ridicule us. They try to silence us. But we keep growing the movement. We oppose war. And we win." He also shared a claim that media scrutiny is motivated by "his opposition to Israel's genocide and Iran war."
The Green Party has experienced a significant surge in support since Polanski's election as leader in September, including a historic victory over Labour in the Gorton and Denton by-election last month. However, this increased popularity has brought heightened examination of Polanski and other senior figures within the party.
Details of the 2013 Claims and Subsequent Apologies
The original newspaper article, published on June 12, 2013, was titled "Can you really THINK your boobs bigger?" and advertised a 90-minute hypnosis session with Polanski for £220. In the subsequent radio interview, Polanski expressed hope that hypnotherapy could help with body confidence issues more broadly, stating: "My hope would be that, actually, just with one session people wouldn't even want to enhance their breasts - they'd actually be looking to become more comfortable from the inside out."
A Green Party source has since emphasised: "Zack has repeatedly apologised for an interview he did with The Sun more than a decade ago. Now, Zack is focused on the issues that really matter to people: bringing down bills, protecting the NHS and rebuilding our public services."
Despite these apologies, the contradiction between Polanski's past assertions and his recent denials continues to fuel political debate and media attention, intertwining with his controversial foreign policy positions to create a complex narrative around the Green leader's credibility and priorities.
