Green MP Disagrees With Zack Polanski About Trump And Putin

A senior Green MP has distanced herself from her party leader Zack Polanski after he suggested Donald Trump is worse than Vladimir Putin.

The Green Party leader told Italian newspaper Repubblica last week: “As horrendous as Putin is… I’ve never seen him threaten genocide.

“I’ve never seen him threaten to wipe out a civilisation… Starmer’s so-called special relationship is more of a danger than what Putin is doing in Ukraine.”

But speaking to the BBC’s Politics Live show on Monday, the Greens’ leader in Westminster Ellie Chowns said: “That’s not my position, let me be clear.

“I’ve seen Vladimir Putin himself launch an illegal invasion of Ukraine, he’s responsible for tens of thousands of deaths. Absolutely despicable.”

Asked if Polanski – who is not an MP – was suggesting Trump is worse than Putin, Chowns said: “I wouldn’t have said that, that’s not my view. I am however deeply concerned about the actual actions of Donald Trump.”

The MP for North Herefordshire then turned the focus onto Trump’s conflict in Iran, calling it “clearly illegal”.

The Greens have made their opposition to Trump very clear, with the party leader even suggesting the UK should consider expelling US forces from British bases – and leave Nato.

Polanski also faced scrutiny on Monday morning when he clashed with Good Morning Britain presenter Ed Balls, accusing the show of “shock-jock tactics”.

A Labour spokesperson said: “Even Zack Polanski’s own MPs know his comments on Vladimir Putin are appalling. He must retract his comments and stop whitewashing Russia’s barbaric war in Ukraine.”

Defence minister Luke Pollard said: “Even Zack Polanski’s Leader in Parliament doesn’t agree with his disgraceful comments about Vladimir Putin.

“This is a new low for Polanski’s Green Party – and shows why he can’t be trusted with our national security. It’s time Zack Polanski urgently stopped pandering to Putin and made clear that he will stop attempting to whitewash Russia’s barbaric action in Ukraine.

“While Prime Minister Keir Starmer has offered serious, calm-headed leadership at a time of international uncertainty, the Greens can’t even agree on who our allies are. They are just not serious.”

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