Polanski’s approval rating slumps after Golders Green comments

Zack Polanski’s approval rating has fallen over his response to the Golders Green attack, a new poll has suggested.

The Green leader, whose party has enjoyed a surge in the polls since he took over, saw his approval rating fall 14 points in the past week, according to a survey by pollster More in Common.

Having had an overall rating of -13%, just above Reform UK’s Nigel Farage and behind Tory leader Kemi Badenoch and Lib Dem chief Sir Ed Davey, Mr Polanski’s rating has now hit -27%.

Although the fall means he is now trailing Mr Farage, he remains well ahead of Sir Keir Starmer’s approval rating of -45%.

Luke Tryl, executive director of More in Common, said focus groups suggested Polanski’s response to the stabbing of two Jewish men in Golders Green last week had contributed to his fall in popularity.

Polanski attracted controversy last week after sharing a social media post criticising police officers for kicking the suspect in the Golders Green attack while arresting him.

The post was condemned both by politicians from other parties and Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley.

Polanski subsequently apologised for “sharing a tweet in haste”, adding: “Police responses to emergency situations such as these do need later reflection in the right forums, but I accept that social media is not the appropriate channel for doing so.”

Tryl said the drop in Mr Polanski’s approval rating showed the controversy had “very definitely cut through”.

He added that while the fall was partly due to an increase in people saying they had a negative opinion of Polanski, the Greens may be more worried by a fall in younger people saying they had a positive view of the party leader.

But he added that the party still had “real momentum” going into Thursday’s local elections and a strong performance could see people change their view.

A separate poll published by More in Common on Tuesday suggested the Greens were on course to make significant gains in London.

The poll projected that the Greens could win the most votes in Hackney – the first time the party would have topped a poll in a London borough – and was within two points of Labour in Lambeth, Lewisham and Islington.

Tryl said: “When you speak to particularly young graduates who are struggling in urban areas, there’s no doubt that Polanski’s Green Party offers them a sort of hope.”