Writing the summary…
Polanski challenged over whether he thinks Israel has right to exist
Source: BBC Politics
Original reporting
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BBC Politics
Polanski vows to stay on as Green leader as criticism mounts
Jewish Greens' leader has said Polanski should resign in the wake of a Zionism row and by-election defeat.
The Guardian
Polanski defends leadership of Greens and says he will not step down after byelection defeat by Labour – UK politics live
Sagal Abdi-Wali defeats Green party leader Zack Polanski to retain the Holborn and St Pancras seat for Labour Report: Labour wins Holborn and St Pancras byelection Analysis: defeat will disappoint Greens – but there may also be relief Activists in Camden have suggested the Greens’ decision to back the anti-Zionism motion has cost them votes in the byelection. Councillors for both Labour the Liberal Democrats told the Press Association that voters had informed them they would not be backing the Green party after it passed the motion last weekend calling Zionism racism. It is clear now we will come a close second in this by-election. Taking the fight to Labour in one of its safest seats shows just how far the Greens have come. Voters want us to keep Labour’s feet to the fire on affordable housing, public ownership of water and the climate crisis. Greens will be there every single day, hold
The Guardian
Did the Zionism row lose it for Zack Polanski? – podcast
Zack Polanski has lost the Holborn and St Pancras byelection to Labour’s Sagal Abdi-Wali. Despite the Greens increasing their vote share from 2024, Polanski had the cloud of the ‘Zionism is racism’ row hanging over his head. Now there are questions over his leadership and whether he can steer the party through the ongoing Zionism row. Will the Greens remain a fringe party? You can watch this episode on the Politics Weekly YouTube channel here . Continue reading...
BBC Politics
Ex-first minister Mark Drakeford suggests Wales Office should go
Created 60 years ago, most of the powers it used to hold were transferred to Cardiff Bay in 1999.
The Guardian
Digested week: Don’t worry about the plague, go and read some Anne Carson
The world may be going to hell in a handcart, but at least now I get to say I know a Nobel prize winner “Anyone worried about pneumonic plague?” This is a friend – a medic – texting me after reading reports at the weekend of the 28-year-old Russian woman who died while working at a “plague research lab” in Siberia . Relying on details from the famously open Russian state guaranteed the presence of a certain dark subtext to the tantalisingly short news item. Namely: lab-grown disease cultivated for reasons unknown and with a 100% mortality rate escapes Russian facility into general population, eight hours’ flying time from London. In other words, we’re all going to die. Continue reading...
The Guardian
Leader of Jewish Greens calls for Zack Polanski to resign after byelection loss
Vivien Lichtenstein says party leader should stand down over ‘Zionism is racism’ policy UK politics live – latest updates The leader of the Jewish Greens has called for Zack Polanski to step down as pressure increases on the Green leader to acknowledge anger within the party over a new policy that equates Zionism with racism and calls for the state of Israel to be abolished. The comments by Vivien Lichtenstein come after Caroline Lucas, the Greens’ former leader and first MP, criticised Polanski for a lack of leadership in missing the debate and vote at the weekend that resulted in the policy being passed. Continue reading...