Zack Polanski has drawn attention on Remembrance Sunday after wearing a white poppy alongside the traditional red emblem, while appearing to overlook the national ceremony at the Cenotaph in Whitehall.
The Green Party leader, who has frequently spoken out against war, was seen wearing the alternative symbol, which is associated with pacifism and the promotion of peace. The white poppy commemorates those killed in conflict but also emphasises opposition to militarism and the prevention of future wars.
First proposed in 1926 by the No More War Movement, the symbol has long been worn by people who believe remembrance should extend beyond honouring the dead to challenging the conditions that lead to armed conflict. Some supporters argue that the red poppy can be interpreted as glorifying military action, although many who wear it regard it simply as a tribute to those who served and died.
Polanski wore both symbols, but his choice is likely to attract attention given his outspoken opposition to war and his argument that remembrance should involve “actively promoting peace”.
Ahead of last year’s National Service of Remembrance, he said he believed “we can have a world without war”. He also described the origins of the white poppy as rooted in campaigning by women’s groups after the first world war.
“It came mainly from women’s groups who were talking about peace and anti-fascism,” he said.
The former amateur hypnotherapist has also appeared to distinguish his approach to remembrance from that of other political leaders. While Prime Minister Andy Burnham, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey all posted tributes on X, Polanski appeared not to have issued a comparable message.
His absence from the Cenotaph ceremony also stood out against a gathering that brought together the Royal Family, serving military personnel, veterans and the country’s political establishment.
The King led the royal tributes as thousands assembled in Whitehall for the annual service. More than 300 Armed Forces and civilian organisations took part in the Royal British Legion march, including around 20 surviving second world war veterans.
Mr Burnham, attending his first Remembrance Sunday ceremony as prime minister since entering Downing Street in July, led the political wreath-laying alongside Badenoch.
Farage also laid a wreath for the first time, after Reform secured the minimum six MPs required under the ceremony’s rules. The party now has eight MPs following the defections of Robert Jenrick, Suella Braverman and Andrew Rosindell from the Conservatives since the previous Remembrance Sunday.
A record number of former prime ministers also attended, including Sir Keir Starmer, Rishi Sunak, Boris Johnson, Theresa May, David Cameron, Gordon Brown, Sir Tony Blair and Sir John Major.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband laid a wreath on behalf of the intelligence agencies, while Defence Secretary Wes Streeting joined other senior political figures in paying his respects.
The King was accompanied by Prince William, Princess Anne and the Duke of Edinburgh, who also laid wreaths. Queen Camilla and the Princess of Wales watched from the balcony of the Foreign Office as the ceremony unfolded.
The contrast between the formal national tribute and Polanski’s emphasis on pacifism highlights a longstanding tension in British public life over how best to commemorate military sacrifice.
For supporters of the white poppy, remembering the dead must also mean working to prevent future conflicts. For critics, however, Remembrance Sunday is principally an occasion to honour those who served, regardless of political disagreements over the use of military force.
Polanski’s decision to wear both poppies reflects an attempt to hold those ideas together. But his apparent absence from the Cenotaph gathering has ensured that his approach to remembrance is itself part of this year’s political debate.
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