Polanski: Corbyn had ‘really positive’ ideas for governing country

Jeremy Corbyn put forward a lot of “really positive” ideas for governing the country, Green leader Zack Polanski said.

As Green Party candidates face accusations of antisemitism, Mr Polanski was asked by BBC Radio 4’s Today programme how he would avoid becoming a new version of Mr Corbyn, whose Labour Party faced a similar crisis.

He said: “I think me and Jeremy are very different people, and there’s much… you know, the question was almost inviting me to condemn Jeremy Corbyn.

“I think there was lots that Jeremy Corbyn was putting forward to this country that I think was really positive. We’ve talked about wealth taxes, about public ownership.

“I also think it’s important, speaking for myself right now, that we make sure that we have this vetting process, that it’s really clear that antisemitism, Islamophobia, any form of hatred or hate crime, is not welcome in the Green Party.”

Polanski also told the BBC he was “not ready right now” to be prime minister but said he had learned a lot of political skills and knowledge since winning the Green leadership, adding that he would “certainly be putting in the work” over the next few years.

Polanski also said his party was taking action to tackle antisemitism.

Confronted with a series of comments made by his candidates, the Green leader told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “Those messages are all unacceptable, and it’s important to condemn that.

“The Green Party are an anti-racist party and it’s important that we stick to our values.”

He said there would be a “standardised vetting process” in future, with compulsory training for candidates, “to make it clear that antisemitism is completely unwelcome in the Green Party, as it is in society”.

“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 said.