Greens Review Social Media Controls After Polanski Repost Row
The Green Party of England and Wales is examining its social media systems as scrutiny grows over leader Zack Polanski’s handling of a controversial Instagram collaboration.
The Green Party of England and Wales is reviewing the systems behind its rapidly expanding social media operation after a controversial Instagram post by its leader, Zack Polanski, exposed the risks of a high-profile politician retaining direct control of his own accounts.
The review is not presented as a direct response to the incident, but it arrives as the party reassesses how a small communications operation should support a leader whose online reach has become central to the Greens’ growth.
The party’s social media team, once one full-time employee, has expanded to three or four staff members and could grow further.
The dispute began when Polanski accepted an Instagram collaboration request for a post containing 20 images from an event in Bristol.
One image showed a man wearing a T-shirt bearing a guillotine and the words “we’re only making plans for Nigel”, an apparent reference to Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.
The post was then placed on Polanski’s account and distributed to his followers.
Polanski said he had not seen the image when he accepted the collaboration and removed the post after becoming aware of it.
He has called it an inadvertent mistake, said he needs to improve his social media practice, and condemned political violence.
He declined to apologise to Farage.
Farage and Reform UK described the image as incitement to murder and reported the matter to police.
The Metropolitan Police concluded that sharing the image online was unlikely to constitute a criminal offence and that a wider investigation would be disproportionate.
It took no further action against Polanski or those who shared the post online.
The force said, however, that the wearing of the T-shirt itself should be recorded as a crime and referred that element to Avon and Somerset Police because the image was taken in Bristol.
The episode has sharpened an internal debate over whether Polanski’s informal, prolific online style can continue unchanged as the party becomes more prominent.
His personal engagement gives the Greens visibility among younger voters and has helped make him one of the most-followed UK party leaders on Instagram.
It also leaves little room for the checks applied to most national political leaders’ communications.
Party figures have described the present arrangement as carrying a limited benefit but a potentially severe downside when material is shared without sufficient scrutiny.
The review will determine how the Greens add professional oversight while preserving the direct online presence that helped build their audience.
The review is not presented as a direct response to the incident, but it arrives as the party reassesses how a small communications operation should support a leader whose online reach has become central to the Greens’ growth.
The party’s social media team, once one full-time employee, has expanded to three or four staff members and could grow further.
The dispute began when Polanski accepted an Instagram collaboration request for a post containing 20 images from an event in Bristol.
One image showed a man wearing a T-shirt bearing a guillotine and the words “we’re only making plans for Nigel”, an apparent reference to Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.
The post was then placed on Polanski’s account and distributed to his followers.
Polanski said he had not seen the image when he accepted the collaboration and removed the post after becoming aware of it.
He has called it an inadvertent mistake, said he needs to improve his social media practice, and condemned political violence.
He declined to apologise to Farage.
Farage and Reform UK described the image as incitement to murder and reported the matter to police.
The Metropolitan Police concluded that sharing the image online was unlikely to constitute a criminal offence and that a wider investigation would be disproportionate.
It took no further action against Polanski or those who shared the post online.
The force said, however, that the wearing of the T-shirt itself should be recorded as a crime and referred that element to Avon and Somerset Police because the image was taken in Bristol.
The episode has sharpened an internal debate over whether Polanski’s informal, prolific online style can continue unchanged as the party becomes more prominent.
His personal engagement gives the Greens visibility among younger voters and has helped make him one of the most-followed UK party leaders on Instagram.
It also leaves little room for the checks applied to most national political leaders’ communications.
Party figures have described the present arrangement as carrying a limited benefit but a potentially severe downside when material is shared without sufficient scrutiny.
The review will determine how the Greens add professional oversight while preserving the direct online presence that helped build their audience.
