Poll: Greens ‘not widely linked with antisemitism’

ZACK Polanski’s Green Party of England and Wales are not deemed to have a big problem with antisemitism, a poll showed.

The Green leader, who is the only Jewish political leader in the UK, has faced a barrage of combative interviews over recent days since he shared criticism on social media after footage showed two Metropolitan Police officers repeatedly kicking a man who appeared to be the suspect in the Golders Green attacks, where two Jewish men were stabbed.

Polanski (pictured) has also faced questions, as some Green candidates in England face accusations of antisemitism.

But while a YouGov survey in the aftermath of the attacks showed 63% of Britons believe prejudice against Jews is a major or significant concern, Labour and Reform UK were identified most frequently as having an antisemitism problem, with both at 33%. A quarter said the same of the Greens, while the Tories and LibDems registered 16% and 13% respectively.

Meanwhile, the research found Green Party supporters are as likely as Labour, Conservative and LibDem voters to view antisemitism as a substantial problem, with about 70% of all these voters taking that view. While Reform UK voters are the least likely to say so, at 63%, this is in line with the views of the wider public. Voters aged 18-24 are least likely to see antisemitism as a severe problem (58%), followed by those aged 25-49 (58%). Overall, 59% of men of all ages hold the same view.

The youngest adults were the only voters most likely to say other groups faced discrimination.

Seven in 10 people aged 18-24 identified prejudice against Muslims as a major or significant problem in society, with about 60% saying the same of black people, women and transgender people. In total, 57% of the public said there is a problem with Islamophobia.

Nearly half of respondents (47%) said Reform have a problem with Islamophobia, followed by the Tories with 27%.