Green Party leader Polanski admits false Red Cross spokesman claim

The Times reported Tuesday that Green Party leader Polanski falsely claimed in 2022 to be a deputy leader candidate for his party while describing himself as a Red Cross spokesman.

Polanski told BBC's Today programme that he had hosted fundraisers for the charity in the past. He accepted using "the wrong word" in that description.

"It's important though, and I accept this, that they [the Red Cross] don't support any political party and I've made sure that that's been taken down," he said.

The Times noted Polanski listed himself as a Red Cross spokesman on his personal website in 2020 and on a crowdfunding page two years later.

Elected leader of the Green Party of England and Wales last year, Polanski said it was "fine" for media to question his past. But he called some stories "scraping the barrel".

He added that "owners of the right-wing media, multi-millionaires and billionaires" were "worried" about the Green Party's rise and "the prospect of having to pay a little bit more tax".

A British Red Cross spokesperson said: "We are a neutral and impartial humanitarian organisation and to protect our vital work, we do not take part in party-political activity or campaigns."

A Labour Party spokesperson said: "It's not the first time the Green Party leader hasn't been straight with the public. He refuses to say if his council candidates have been suspended for vile antisemitism after claiming to have acted. Now there are serious questions about the work and qualifications he has boasted about. This is a matter of trust."

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said Polanski was "a man who is in over his head, who clearly thinks politics is something fun to do".

Polanski called their messages "unacceptable". He said the party would implement a "standardised vetting process" and mandatory training for candidates "to make it clear that antisemitism is completely unwelcome".

"It is also important to say one case of antisemitism is one too many. This is a handful of cases and actually we have over 4,500 candidates, the vast, vast majority of which are doing amazing work in their communities right now," he added.

Asked if he was ready to be prime minister, Polanski replied: "I'm not ready now." He said he still had a lot of "skills and knowledge" to acquire.