Reform UK has reported Green Party co-leader Zack Polanski to the Metropolitan Police after a social media post on his account featured a T-shirt depicting a guillotine alongside the words «We're only making plans for Nigel», a phrase closely associated with Reform UK's honorary president Nigel Farage. The party said the imagery was «deeply disturbing» and appeared to glorify violence against a political figure.
The image, which has since been removed from Mr Polanski's account, showed a man wearing a black T-shirt with the guillotine prominently displayed. The Green Party leader has since stated that he «condemns» the message on the T-shirt and indicated that the post had been shared without full appreciation of its implications. He has not provided further details about how the image came to be on his account.
Reform UK submitted a formal complaint to the police, arguing that the post could constitute a public order offence and incitement to violence. A party spokesperson said: «In the current climate of rising political tensions, such imagery is completely unacceptable. We expect the police to investigate this matter thoroughly.» The Metropolitan Police have confirmed receipt of the report but have not announced any formal investigation or action.
Mr Polanski, who has served as co-leader of the Green Party of England and Wales since 2018, is a former comedian and actor turned politician. He leads the party alongside Carla Denyer and has been a vocal advocate for environmental issues. His social media activity has occasionally courted controversy, but this incident marks the first time he has been reported to police over a post.
The T-shirt design references the 1978 song «Making Plans for Nigel» by the British band XTC, which itself is about a young man whose life is controlled by others. The addition of the guillotine, however, has been widely interpreted as a symbol of execution or decapitation, leading to accusations that the post implied a threat against Mr Farage. Critics have called the post tasteless and dangerous, while some supporters argue that it was satirical in nature.
The episode has drawn sharp reactions from across the political spectrum. Several Conservative and Reform UK politicians have denounced Mr Polanski, with some calling for him to apologise or resign. The Green Party has not issued an official statement beyond Mr Polanski's personal remarks, though the incident has already sparked debate about the limits of political satire and the responsibility of public figures when sharing content online.
This is not the first time political figures have been reported to the police over social media posts, but the involvement of a major party leader adds to the significance. The outcome of the police review could have implications for how online speech is regulated in the context of political discourse. Both the Green Party and Reform UK are competing for influence ahead of the next general election, and this incident has further strained relations between the two parties.
