By Local Democracy Reporter Simon Finlay
Green Party leader Zack Polanski arrived in Margate this evening to a rockstar’s ovation as he backed his candidate ahead of a crunch by-election tomorrow (April 9).
Mr Polanski was met with a wall of noise as he entered the WhereElse? music venue in The Centre.
An estimated 400 people packed inside the venue and listened from the street outside as he endorsed Rob Yates – already a district councillor- for the county council seat.
Mr Polanski’s appearance on the eve of the poll for the Cliftonville division at Kent County Council was another clear sign of how seriously the party is taking the contest.
He attacked Nigel Farage and Reform UK in his 10-minute speech, but said that this by-election was on a “knife-edge” between the two parties.
The leader referenced the recent Gorton and Denton parliamentary by-election, in which the Greens snatched an unexpected victory over Reform.
Mr Polanski said: “Rob is already a councillor in Thanet and has a record of achieving things, a record for standing up for refugees, a record of saying that the problems do not come by small boats – they are travelling above our heads.”
He also referenced Cllr Yates’ record of achieving locally, such as fighting for more than two years to get a zebra crossing in his ward.
Mr Polanski added: “That is exactly what happens when you elect people who care about their local community and who won’t take no for an answer.”
To loud cheers, he took aim at Southern Water for taking profits after pumping sewage into the sea and local rivers and demanded water companies be nationalised.
Rob Yates said: “I’ve been overwhelmed by the support the community has shown in this campaign, we’ve got hundreds of green posters in windows and gardens, and it’s looking so close between Reform and Green.”
Mr Polanski added: “There was amazing energy tonight at the rally in Margate. It’s so clear on the doorsteps it’s between Reform and the Green Party. I dropped everything tonight to get to Margate and I’m so glad I did.”
The by-election was sparked after former Reform UK councillor Daniel Taylor was jailed for controlling behaviour towards his wife.
Taylor had won the election in May 2025 with 40% of the vote and was part of the Reform landslide that saw the party take 57 of the 81 seats at KCC. He was suspended after his arrest and expelled when he was convicted.
Reform UK, Labour, Conservatives and the Greens believe they can win in Cliftonville.
Some local observers now see it as a two-horse race between Reform UK’s Marc Rattigan and the Greens’ Cllr Yates. Others say it is impossible to call.
Conservative candidate Charlie Leys says the race is still wide open.
He said: “If I thought I was out of the race, I wouldn’t be out today delivering letters – I’d bank my annual leave and go back to work. I genuinely think it’s all to play for.”
The campaign has been fought with the same intensity as a parliamentary by-election, with a host of big names in the division including Dame Emily Thornberry for Labour, Caroline Lucas for the Greens, Lord (Craig) Mackinlay for the Conservatives and Robert Jenrick for Reform UK.
Over the course of the race, which started on March 3, hundreds of activists from all parties have been mustered to go door to door.
Turnout will be crucial tomorrow but whether the sunny, warm day over the Easter school holidays acts as a help or a hindrance in getting the 15,000 electors out will become apparent on the day.
Another unknown is how much tactical voting and the targeting of the postal vote will come into play.
Locals have raised potholed roads (which is a KCC responsibility), illegal immigration, the cost of living, local bus services and a lack of public toilets as key issues.
Polls open tomorrow
Polling stations are open from 7am until 10pm and voters must bring a valid form of identification, such as a passport or driving licence, to cast their ballots.
The full list of candidates for the by-election is: Joanne Bright (Labour); Lucy Gray (Independent); Charlie Leys (Conservative Party); Marc Rattigan (Reform UK); Dr Mo Shafaei (Liberal Democrats) and Rob Yates (Green Party).
The polling stations are:
Botany Bay Hotel, Marine Drive, Broadstairs, CT10 3LG
St Andrews Church Hall, Reading Street, Broadstairs, CT10 3AZ
Cliftonville Community Centre, 23 St Pauls Road, Margate, CT9 2DB
Margate Bowls Club, Northdown Avenue, Margate, CT9 2NW
Cliftonville (Outdoor) Bowls Club, St Georges Pavilion, Third Avenue, Margate, CT9 2DW
6 St Philips Church, Summerfield Road, Margate, CT9 3JJ
Sadly, he is the main reason I am unlikely to vote Green in the forseeable future (shame, as I basically support basic environmental-friendly policies such as cutting down on traffic and improving cycling infrastructure).
The Greens used to be a environmental based political party, nowadays they seem to be anti semitic , anti women- for drugs and generally supporting any wacky idea that comes into anyone’s head.
Anybody would be better than a Green.
it is interesting that you think that considering they have explicitly debunked those theories time and time again…
Ahh the far right numpties view of Greens. All of these policy attack lines have already been smashed into orbit.
If you think that supporting women’s rights is a far right policy, you need to go back to school.
Peter Checks field post is honest. I don’t agree with it but it is a reasonable position. This posting by “John” is not. I am a life long Labour member but the Greens are not anti-semitic or anti women. Supporting the right of Palestinian self determination and opposing genocide does not make you anti-semitic. In any case Palestinians are a semitic people. Being anti zionist is a correct and reasonable position, held by hundreds of thousands of Jewish folk here. Ranting is not a reasonable way of doing politics!
I quote Zack Polanski’s own family told me:
‘If the Zionism-is-racism motion is passed it will make the Greens the most anti-Semitic party in British history since Oswald Mosley’s British Union of Fascists,’ said a second relation. ‘The idea of it is one of the most sickening things
: “It sounds to me like you don’t understand what a woman is, which I think is a huge problem for someone leading a party in this country.”
OK John, please lay out in what way declaring zionism as racist is anti-semetic. Because as far as I know the entire history of zionism has been to displace a local population with Jewish incommers.
Since Palestine became the target area for zionists it aimed to replace the Palestinians with Jewish settlers. Broadly speaking these particular Jews were white Europeans, the Palestinians being brown.
Zionism has set out that Palestinians are inferior. Israeli law treats Palestinians worse that Jewish citizens. Just lusten to the Israeli leaders when they rant, they use all the language and invectives we have see used against black and brown skin people in the past.
Please, how is zionism not racist.
A non attributed quote?
John, you DO KNOW Palestinians are also semitic peoples, right?
waste of a vote
Get a grip lad . Israel is causing mass migration and from its endless wars to us Brit’s. Some women are more like men some men more like woman . Always been that way if you look . There’s bigger things going on ! We need real change . Green X
The raving loonies … Their hatred for Jewish people is worse than the Labour party.
Their leader is literally Jewish lol
And Farage married a foreigner.
Not only did he marry one, he’s a dual national who’s primary residence is in the eu for tax purposes.
The Greens lost my vote when they pivoted away from focusing on environmental issues, started their love in with Corbyn and started creating ludicrous national policies like a 5 year old playing a politics simulator.
All of their policies have been costed and they’d end up spending less than the last two parties in their first term, but go off with your wilful ignorance.
Back in the early 1990’s I was the Chair of the local Amnesty group in Thanet. Up until then, it, Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, etc. were all utterly apolitical and focussed upon a specific topic. I was also a civil servant at the time. During 1992 something changed. As Phil Collins sang, “… I can feel it coming in the air tonight…”
Almost overnight the agendas of these organisations – including the Civil Service – began to change simultaneously. The focussed radical minds were swamped by what is now called Intersectionalism. A socialist political movement founded in the crucible of of Critical Theorists’ minds.
Polanski, the Socialist Workers Party, BLM, PSC, Your Party, Stand Up to Racism, the Workers Party are all different faces of the same movement. Their different coloured, uniformly designed placards and leaflets all come from the same designers, minds and printers. As does their rhetoric and the legal counsel they use.
We live in very dangerous times. When unelected Pied Piper characters such as Polanski come close to seats of power.
This by election is materially meaningless. However, the next general election won’t be. Britain needs serious people.
Nothing like a conspiracy theory to hide the truth. What you describe is the British Left, they all share a socialist outlook, but not the Civil Service!
B
And, if you had been at all involved with the Left, you’d absolutely know how divided they have been and still are.But they do oppose many similar things, like war crimes, profiteering, political corruption, unfair taxing and povety.
I suggest you pop along to a Thanet Green Party event and chat to us. You’ll experience a warm hearted, really positive bunch of people. People who don’t agree on everything but find a way to work together on core values despite this.
Garry.
The Green Party, Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace were not founded with a socialist outlook. Indeed, for the most part, the founders of these organisations were anything but left of Centre politically. Most were self employed business people with a healthy dislike for the Establishment. I have watched as all have been systematically reformed to present a socialist front. I was there for 20 years before and I’ve been there for the 30 years since. Same with Amnesty and the Civil Service. The Mandarins’ trades union – The First Division – is replete with Conspiracy Theory Marxists. Your uninformed comments are risible.
As to your name call de jour – “Conspiracy Theory”? A phrase that originated from the committee convened in response to the patent refusal of the American public to accept the official narrative of the J.F.K. assassination. The document is in the Public Domain. It was invented by the same government body which created “Collateral Damage” and “Plausible Deniability”.
Obviously, when I referred to British Left I meant all the lefty organisations you listed.
I don’t know when you were involved but I was an early FOE associate (1972 ish) and am very clear that many saw that capitalism could never resolve environmental degradation because there was no motivation or understanding among those who were just about wealth and power. Greenpeace was much the same and the Greens have evolved to appreciate this fact.
Recent history is violently clear about this dynamic.
And, to be fair, you did present “intersectionalism” like it was a force in its own terms, moving all these various groupings so conspiracy theorist fits how you wrote it.
Capitalism and its various guises such as China and Russia all have key aspects in common. They all are striving to control resources, wherever they are and by whatever means to increase the wealth of the already obscenely wealthy.
And this whole enterprise continues despite all the knowledge and evidence of how damaging it is to our planet.
The current surge in support for the Greens, irrespective of the Cliftonville result, is a very serious step-change in UK politics, for the better.
Now that the name of Greenpiss was mentioned: I remember WITNESSING them dangerously disrupting NATO’s Blue Harrier exercises in the Baltic sea during the Cold War. Guess who’s side they were on…
Gary polanski is pretty much like his old man Roman!
Who is Gary? Are you insinuating Zak polanski is a pedophile like Roman Polanski? Given besides films, that’s all Roman is known for?
Going off Harry’s twitter feed, he’s all in on far right policies and tries dressing it up in semi academic language. This is colluquially known as the intellectual dark Web/crypto fascist…Wishing for a time when things last made sense to him.
Margate’s mood changes with the tide—one minute it’s the Labour Party saving us all, next minute they’ve vanished… funny how that happens when people start feeling the pinch.
And we’re still pretending wind and sunshine alone will power everything?
Margate’s mood has nothing to do with this election. This is a by-election for the Cliftonville division.
Equally I have no idea behind the rationale to hold this event in Margate.
Renewables are powering more and more of our grid daily. Most days power being generated solely from renewables. You can check the national grid, live.
“… Critical Theory Marxists…”🙄
Predictive text.🤬
Illuminati more like.
The original concept of creating green parties to sabotage western economies and defence comes from the Soviets. Some of these extreme left socialist parties didn’t even bother hiding it. A great example of respect for their sponsors was the Belgian AGALEV party. Their name sounded russian, their policies led to higher dependency on Russian gas, after prohibiting the use of nuclear power in the future. They had the final vote as the largest Flemish rightwing party was and still is sidelined from their federal government. The same damage was done by the German Greens where they effectively shut down most of their nuclear power facilities and are now reintroducing … COAL FIRED power stations…
someone has never learnt about the evolution of politics or read anything about what the current iteration of the green party represents.
the message is anti-establishment, economically progressive and for the working class.
nothing to do with Russia, everything to do with the shambles of current geopolitical views on humanitarianism and absolutely nothing to do with the status quo in UK politics.
As someone who’s been knowledgeable on Russia for twenty years or so, what abject, utter bollocks you’re peddling here.
I’ve studied them for 50 years and I still don’t know anything about them according to you. Well, now you make me realise my whole life has been a great disaster. Thank you professor. (You could communicate in Russian, French, Dutch, or German for your next insults as you seem to specialise in that. I’ve not sat still after uni…)
They are an antisemitic, anti-woman, pro drug taking party. Why on earth would anyone ever consider voting for them? You are effectively advocating communism plus policies for a region that is already on its knees.
Their views on women’s rights are abhorrent. And they completely reject the notion that the good of the many should generally outweigh the good of the few. This is about as bad as politics gets.