Zack Polanski 'glad to see Farage having his ass handed to him in Congress'

Read time: 3 mins

In brief…

• Zack Polanski has celebrated the speech given by Democrat congressman Jamie Raskin ahead of an address given by Nigel Farage, accusing him of being a “Trump sycophant” and a “free speech imposter”.
• Polanski reveals he previously challenged Reform deputy leader Richard Tice to a debate at Glastonbury this summer, but was turned down because the millionaire businessman did not feel it was a “safe space” for him.
• He denies the UK has a problem with free speech, but says there needs to be a wider understanding of the responsibility that comes with it.

What’s the story?

Zack Polanski, the new leader of the Green Party, has congratulated Democrat senator Jamie Raskin for his takedown of the Reform UK party leader Nigel Farage in congress this week.

Farage is in America to address congress on the perceived free speech problems in the UK, which Polanski says is a fiction whipped up by "irresponsible politicians".

Ahead of Farage's speech, Raskin accused Farage of being a "free-speech imposter" and "Trump sycophant", sharing his support for "war criminal" Vladimir Putin, and a man "most at home with the autocrats and dictators of the world who are crushing freedom on Earth."

Polanski spoke to The News Agents in Clacton, Farage's own constituency, from where he has been notoriously absent since becoming the seaside town's MP in July 2024.

"What happened in Congress demonstrates that when he's really held accountable, when people hold him to the truth of what the situation is, he has no answers," Polanski tells Emily Maitlis.

"Too often Farage is just left to be able to spew his propaganda.

"What I want to see more and more is Farage held to account."

He offered a public invite to a public debate between the two to happen, "anytime, anyplace".

But this is not the first time he has invited a senior member of Reform to discuss the party's political stance.

Polanski revealed that he previously invited its deputy leader, Richard Tice, to a debate at Glastonbury this summer, but says the millionaire claimed it was "not a safe space" for him.

‘Irresponsible politicians whipping up hate and division’

Polanski denies the UK has a "free speech problem", but says a "nuanced conversation" on the topic, and a wider understanding of the responsibilities that come with it, is needed.

"What I think we have is irresponsible politicians who are whipping up hate and division," Polanski adds.

"What I do think we have is a policing problem."

Polanski reveals friends of his were recently arrested for protesting their support for Palestine Action, which the UK government this year proscribed as a terror group after it vandalised RAF fighter planes.

"I don't think that's a good use of police time," he says.

"I think most people want to see the police dealing with violence against women and girls, against violence on our streets, against burglars and theft.

"They don't necessarily want disproportionate responses."

‘Everything Farage suggests is going to make people’s lives worse’

The new Green Party leader tells The News Agents that he visited Clacton during Farage's recent trip to the US Congress to speak to people "on the street" and address Farage's agenda head on.

"People are saying to me they don't see Farage at all, and when they voted for him, they didn't know that he would support fire and rehire, that he would support zero hours contracts," Polanski says.

"Immigration is still clearly an issue in Clacton, and as a Green Party we've got to find a message for that, but it's very clear people know that Farage is not the answer."

He says that the people of Clacton have laughed when asked if they feel like they live in one of the world's wealthiest countries.

"There is lots of wealth in this country, but we know it's being hoarded by multi millionaires and billionaires, and we need a wealth tax," he says.

"A wealth tax could help us invest in our communities, protect our national health service, and build council homes.

"These are the things that people want. They don't want to see stripping back of workers rights and people blaming immigration. They just want fairness."

Everything Farage wants to impose, he adds, is going to "make people's lives worse".

Listen to the latest episode of The News Agents.