Today’s by-election is a test for Burnham and Polanski posted at 22:03 BST22:03 BSTChris MasonPolitical Editor This feels like a momentous and rather crunchy by-election for a number of reasons. For a start, it’s only happening because of national politics in recent years – and the resignation of Keir Starmer as Prime Minister. Shortly after leaving Downing Street, he decided to also leave parliament, leaving his seats here in Holborn and St Pancras, north London, vacant. It is also the first by-election during Andy Burnham’s tenure as Prime Minister. It has been a safe Labor seat for a long, long time, but the Green Party of England and Wales has been making waves since Zack Polanski became its leader, and the party performed well in the London local elections in May. So it’s a test for Burnham and it’s a test for Polanski, who is the Green candidate in this race. Image source, Reuters And that’s where things get pretty heated, given the huge dispute of the last few days. The Green Party is currently being eaten alive by a motion passed at its party conference just a few days ago that led to Polanski being expelled from Israel, and its party is facing criticism not only from the Jewish Leadership Council and the Board of Deputies of British Jews but also from sister Green parties in Europe. Polanski, who is Jewish, did not vote on the motion that said Zionism is a form of racism and called for a single Palestinian state, meaning no Israel. The motion was approved. Polanski’s team said he was campaigning here in Holborn and St Pancras at the time. He has been saying no to interviews with journalists in recent days; The BBC’s requests have been rejected. When my colleague Emilia Belli found him campaigning today, she politely but persistently asked him questions, but he did not answer them. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister intervened, arguing that the motion amounted to “a completely wrong decision, a terrible judgment on the part of the Green Party of England and Wales; in fact, it ruled out a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine, and for that reason it should not be supported in any way.” Image source, Reuters Caption, The Prime Minister called the motion a “terrible judgment” by the Greens. Wales has issued this statement: “This has been an emotional and complex issue. It has rightly caused much discussion, and must be taken in the context of Israel’s behavior. Israel has been responsible for genocide, ethnic cleansing and the killing of children, and we have had a political establishment that has not only turned a blind eye but has been supportive. Zack has made an unequivocal commitment that no Jewish person will be excluded or denied a voice for being a member of a synagogue or community organization that supports Zionism.” A party figure told me that “Zack has created a monster that he cannot or will not control.” Many in the party are furious. We hope to be able to ask Polanski some questions after the vote; It will be very interesting to see how he responds to them and how, even if, he can extricate the party from the biggest dispute of his leadership so far. As for the by-election contest, the Greens seem decidedly less optimistic about the outcome than Labour.
