The Green Party of England and Wales has confirmed it returned a donation from its leader, Zack Polanski, after it was identified as impermissible under UK electoral law. The donation, totalling £1,539.45, was made to the London Green Party in September of last year, shortly after Mr Polanski's election as co-leader. However, it was not until 10 June this year that the funds were returned.
UK electoral law stipulates that political parties can only accept donations from individuals who are registered on the UK electoral roll. Impermissible donations must typically be returned to the donor within 30 days of receipt. The extended period before the return of Mr Polanski's donation has led to scrutiny, though the Electoral Commission has stated it is currently considering the matter under its regulatory remit and it is not the subject of an investigation.
Deputy Green Party leader Rachel Millward explained that Mr Polanski was not on the electoral register due to "security reasons". She further clarified that he is "in conversation with the police to work out a way of registering anonymously so that he can be protected." A spokesperson for the Green Party added that the donation was made to the London Green Party and was returned once the issue was brought to the attention of the national party.
This incident follows confirmation last month that Mr Polanski had not voted in the local elections in London. The party spokesperson attributed this to "heightened intrusion and safety risk" Mr Polanski has faced since becoming leader, including being the target of antisemitic and homophobic abuse, which has led to two arrests. The complexities of registering to vote anonymously, coupled with these security concerns, ultimately prevented him from registering.
It is a common practice for Green Party candidates elected to the London Assembly to donate a portion of their salary to the party. The Electoral Commission's guidance on impermissible donations states that parties should act quickly to rectify the situation if they become aware of an impermissible donation after the 30-day period, returning the value to the donor or, if not possible, to the Commission.