Zack Polanski slumps to worst poll rating after Zionism row

Zack Polanski has slumped to his worst poll rating as Green Party leader after the row over the party’s “Zionism is racism” policy, with more than half the public now viewing him unfavourably for the first time.

An Ipsos survey in October found 52 per cent of the public said they had an unfavourable view of the Green leader. That figure is up six points since September. Just 16 per cent said they had a positive view of Mr Polanski, and his overall rating has fallen to minus 36, the lowest of any national party leader.

The poll suggested much of the opposition is concentrated among older Britons. He has also lost ground among under-35s, falling from a net score of plus 16 in April to just plus two. His support among people who voted Labour in 2024 has plummeted, from a net favourability of plus seven in April to minus 24 in October.

Keiran Pedley, UK director of politics at Ipsos, said the public had noticed it had been a “bruising month” for the London Assembly member. Mr Polanski faced internal and external criticism after the Green Party conference in Brighton backed a motion describing Zionism as “racism” in a vote he did not take part in.

The decision led the leader of the Jewish Greens, Vivien Lichtenstein, to call for Mr Polanski to resign and said she is considering leaving the party. Labour issued an ultimatum to local Green groups it is currently in coalition with, telling them to disown the motion or lose the party’s support. Just days after the conference decision, Mr Polanski was defeated in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election by Labour’s Sagal Abdi-Wali.

Public turns cold on Green leader

Britain has no patience for parties that chase slogans while ordinary voters want borders controlled, bills paid and a country that runs itself. A leader who cannot hold his own side together on a basic test of judgement will not earn trust. The numbers show the public has already made that call.

The Ipsos poll, conducted in the immediate wake of that by-election and reported via GB News, found Andy Burnham remained the only senior UK politician with an overall positive favourability score. The Prime Minister enjoys a net favourability score of plus eight, while Kemi Badenoch’s score is minus 12 and Sir Ed Davey’s is minus 15. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage’s overall score is minus 31, with some 56 per cent of people saying they have an unfavourable view of him.

Mr Pedley noted Andy Burnham appears to be in the ascendancy for the battle for hearts and minds on the left, with 2024 Green voters almost as positive towards him as the leader of the Green Party itself. The same Ipsos poll shows 35 per cent of voters now see the Tories as the main challenger to Mr Burnham’s Labour, while just 32 per cent choose Reform UK. It is the first time Mrs Badenoch’s party has led on this measure since the pollster began tracking the question in May last year.

The Ipsos poll surveyed 2,257 British adults online between October 9 and 13. Mr Pedley said the findings reflect a political environment that continues to be in flux following Andy Burnham’s arrival as Prime Minister and recent struggles for Reform UK. The Burnham bounce looks real, with the public more likely to see Labour as being at least the largest party after the next general election compared to a month ago. Meanwhile, in the battle for hearts and minds on the right, the Conservatives continue to make progress. Time will tell if this leads to a decisive shift in voter preferences in their direction or if this is merely a low ebb for Reform UK that they recover from.

Original source: Evening Standard