Zack Polanski demanded Farage quit over tax - now he faces calls for police probe
Zack Polanski is now facing calls for a Scotland Yard investigation after admitting he failed to pay council tax on his houseboat.
Calls for a police investigation into Zack Polanski are growing after the Green Party leader admitted failing to pay council tax on the east London houseboat where he lived — with both Labour and the Conservatives filing formal complaints with City Hall's standards watchdog.
The admission - in which he called the failure to pay an "unintentional mistake" and pledged to settle any arrears - drew immediate accusations of hypocrisy from political rivals.
Labour's Anna Turley escalated the matter on Tuesday, lodging a formal complaint with City Hall and raising the question of whether Polanski had committed a criminal offence by not disclosing his council tax position as a sitting Assembly member.
The letter reportedly states: "Mr Polanski appears to have failed to comply with the provisions of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 while holding elected office as an Assembly Member."
Neil Garratt, leader of the City Hall Conservatives, is reported to have said: "Zack's had plenty to say about other people not paying tax, but now it seems he was voting on Londoners' council tax bills without paying his own.
"No politician is above the law, no matter how good an actor, or ignorant of the law they may be. His story keeps changing, but if he's broken the law then City Hall authorities should report him to the police and Scotland Yard should investigate, as the public will want answers."
The Express understands City Hall acknowledged the complaint had been referred to its monitoring officer but declined to comment further, citing the legal sensitivity of the matter.
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What evidence links Polanski to the houseboat as his main residence?
According to a Daily Mail report, public records show Polanski was registered to vote at the marina address, used it to receive his post and had laundry regularly collected from the vessel.
His partner described the barge as their "amazing home" in posts spanning three years, and the party itself acknowledged Polanski had been living aboard until "relatively recently."
Under government rules, council tax falls due when a vessel constitutes someone's primary home, yet no registration existed for Polanski's boat at the marina. Tax Policy Associates' Dan Neidle has calculated the liability at roughly £4,000 over three years, based on a Band A rating for the boat and mooring.
Green Party-run Waltham Forest council said it was "making assessments and taking legal advice" and was "working with Mr Polanski's team" to establish the facts.
Where is Zack Polanski now living?
The Times reported on Tuesday that since vacating the houseboat, Polanski has been living at a five-bedroom Hackney property valued at around £2 million, belonging to Alastair Binnie-Lubbock, co-leader of Hackney's Green group and a grandson of the late Liberal Democrat peer Lord Avebury.
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Why is Polanski being called a hypocrite?
The damage has been deepened by his own record - Polanski previously demanded Farage's resignation over tax and praised Rayner for standing down over her stamp duty controversy.
Stella Creasy, Labour MP for Walthamstow, said: "Good taxpayers in Walthamstow will be paid back monies owed by the Green leader as he comes clean he wasn't paying council tax here, but hope Mr Polanski has also taken advice on the impact of a GLA member not paying GLA precept for three years."
Tory chairman Kevin Hollinrake said: "This is staggering hypocrisy from Zack Polanski. A man who wants to hike taxes for millions has failed to pay his own council tax properly."
A Green Party spokesman said: "Until relatively recently, Zack was living on a houseboat, which came with its own unique practical circumstances and considerations. He has immediately taken steps to pay any council tax he may be found to owe. Zack apologises sincerely for the unintentional mistake."
A Waltham Forest spokesman said: "We are working with Mr Polanski's team to establish the full picture, at which point we will be able to determine whether or not there is any council tax owed to Waltham Forest."
