Zack Polanski is facing mounting pressure from within his own party after a bruising by-election defeat intensified questions over his leadership and the handling of a divisive motion on Zionism that has exposed deep divisions among the Greens.
Vivien Lichtenstein, chair of the Jewish Greens committee, has called on Polanski to resign following Labour’s Sagal Abdi-Wali’s victory in Holborn & St Pancras, where the Green Party leader was defeated by 3,364 votes in his second unsuccessful attempt to enter parliament.
The result has dealt a setback to Polanski’s efforts to establish the Greens as a more formidable electoral force, while sharpening scrutiny of his response to the party’s recent conference decision to pass a motion declaring “Zionism is racism”.
“I think he should resign,” Lichtenstein told Times Radio, arguing that Polanski had failed to fulfil his responsibilities during the debate.
Her criticism focused on his decision not to participate directly in the conference proceedings, despite supporting amendments to the motion.
“It was a big mistake for Zack not to find a place, a quiet place, where he could have gone online for the motions debate, where he could have spoken to the two amendments that he supported. He should have done it,” she said.
Lichtenstein described his absence as “absolutely” a “dereliction of his duty as leader”.
Her intervention suggests that the controversy is no longer confined to disagreements over party policy but has become a test of confidence in Polanski’s judgement and authority. Lichtenstein had previously said she was “certainly thinking about” resigning from her position following the conference vote.
The motion has placed the party under heightened scrutiny over how it balances criticism of Israel with concerns about antisemitism and the treatment of Jewish members. Its passage has also created a political challenge for Polanski, who must reconcile the expectations of activists with the need to maintain a broader electoral coalition.
The by-election defeat has added another layer of pressure. Although the Greens have sought to expand their appeal beyond their traditional base, Polanski’s failure to secure a parliamentary seat leaves him facing questions about whether his leadership can translate the party’s profile into electoral gains.
Former Green Party leader Caroline Lucas has also warned that the party must address “huge issues” following the result, adding to calls for an examination of its direction.
Polanski, however, has insisted he has no plans to step down.
The immediate challenge for the Green leader is therefore twofold: to demonstrate that the party can recover electorally after the defeat in Holborn & St Pancras, while addressing internal concerns over the handling of a motion that has provoked serious divisions.
The outcome of that effort could shape the party’s political trajectory. A leadership dispute would risk prolonging the controversy, while a failure to address concerns among Jewish members could deepen divisions within its own ranks.
For now, Polanski remains in post. But the combination of a lost by-election, public criticism from senior figures and renewed questions over the party’s stance on Zionism has turned a disappointing electoral result into a broader test of his leadership.
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