Polanski also addressed direct calls for personal accountability regarding his leadership throughout the political storm. Vivien Lichtenstein, the chair of the Jewish Greens, had publicly requested that Polanski issue an apology for his handling of the conference proceedings and the resulting fallout. When asked if he intended to offer such an apology, Polanski responded unequivocally, stating that he was not sorry at all.
Despite his refusal to apologize, Polanski sought to reassure Jewish members concerned about their place within the organization. He maintained that no Jewish member of the Green Party would be excluded or subjected to discrimination based on their faith, background, or heritage. He stressed that being Jewish and holding supportive views toward Israel are two entirely distinct concepts that should not be conflated.
The leadership’s stance has done little to soothe external outrage or resolve growing political blockades. Phil Rosenberg, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, issued a scolding reaction to Polanski’s interview statements. Rosenberg declared that presiding over a political party whose official policy the leader openly disagrees with until at least 2028 represents an untenable position. He argued that the Green Party’s newly adopted platform effectively erases Jewish identity and experience, calls for the elimination of Israel, and sends a message to the vast majority of Jewish people—who hold a core belief in Israel’s right to exist—that they are unwelcome within the party.
The procedural mechanisms that allowed the motion to pass have also ignited calls for radical structural reform from within the parliamentary party. Green MP Ellie Chowns and other prominent party figures have argued that the current member-led decision-making framework must undergo an immediate review. They contend that allowing policy that drastically impacts the party’s national standing to be determined by such a small proportion of the total membership exposes the party to severe reputational damage.
Meanwhile, the political consequences of the vote have begun to manifest at the local government level. The Labour Party announced that it will actively terminate existing power-sharing arrangements with Green councillors on local authorities across the country, unless individual Green representatives explicitly disown and distance themselves from the conference motion. Commenting on the situation, Prime Minister Andy Burnham offered a sharp condemnation, labeling the conference resolution as "antisemitic."
Responding to Labour’s ultimatum regarding local government partnerships, Polanski declined to issue a central directive to local representatives, maintaining that it remains entirely up to individual Green councillors to evaluate their local circumstances and act as they see fit. With internal divisions unresolved, leadership reviews demanded, and external alliances collapsing, the Green Party remains firmly locked into the controversial policy platform for the foreseeable future.
