The Green Party is not viewed as being the party with the biggest problem with antisemitism, a new poll has shown, despite increasing pressure on Zack Polanski over his response to the Golders Green stabbing.
When asked which of the main five parties has an antisemitism problem, Labour and Reform were identified most frequently in a new YouGov poll, with both at 33 per cent.
A quarter said the same of the Greens, while the Conservatives and Lib Dems registered 16 per cent and 13 per cent respectively.
The survey, conducted in the aftermath of the attack, showed almost two-thirds (63 per cent) of Britons believe prejudice against Jews is a major or significant concern, with the views of Green voters broadly in line with supporters of other parties and voters overall.
The findings come after Mr Polanski – who is the only current Jewish leader of a major political party in the UK – sparked outrage for sharing criticism of the police on social media after footage showed two officers repeatedly kicking the alleged Golders Green attacker in the head after he had been tasered.
Mr Polanski apologised for sharing the post in haste, but he insisted the police should not be above scrutiny.
The Greens are also facing accusations of antisemitism after Labour said it would release a document which they say exposes 25 Green Party local election candidates for having “disturbing views”.
The candidates have been accused of “a raft of harrowing antisemitism, dangerous conspiracy theories and appalling comments supporting Hamas and Russia”.
Two people identified have been arrested on suspicion of stirring up racial hatred towards Jews, according to Labour.
The polling also found Green Party supporters are as likely as Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat voters to view antisemitism as a substantial problem, with about 70 per cent of all these voters taking that view.
Reform UK voters are the least likely to say so, at 63 per cent, but this is in line with the views of the wider public.
Sir Keir Starmer has called for a “whole of society” response to rising antisemitism in the wake of the Golders Green stabbings, as well as warning that attempts by Iran to destabilise British society “will not be tolerated” amid suspicion that Tehran could be stirring up hatred.
Two Jewish men, Shloime Rand, 34, and Norman Shine, 76, were stabbed during a knife rampage on Wednesday 29 April. Their alleged attacker, Essa Suleiman, 45, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday 1 May and was remanded in custody.
The attack, which has been declared a terror incident by police, is the latest in a string of violent actions against Jewish people.
Prosecutors have also been told to fast-track hate crime prosecutions under new guidance issued by the director of public prosecutions (DPP), Stephen Parkinson, in the wake of “a deeply troubling rise in antisemitic incidents across the country”.
The poll showed that voters aged 18-24 are least likely to see antisemitism as a severe problem (58 per cent), followed by those aged 25-49 (58 per cent). Overall, 59 per cent of men of all ages hold the same view.
The youngest adults were the only voters most likely to say other groups faced discrimination.
Seven in 10 of people aged 18-24 identified prejudice against Muslims as a major or significant problem in society, with about 60 per cent saying the same of black people, women and transgender people.
In total, 57 per cent of the public said there is a problem with Islamophobia.
Compared to the question on antisemitism, the general response on Islamophobia is more definitive.
Nearly half of respondents (47 per cent) said Reform UK has a problem with Islamophobia, followed by the Tories with 27 per cent.
Only 14 per cent said the same of Labour, 8 per cent of the Lib Dems, and 6 per cent of Greens.
The sample size for the survey, which was conducted on 4 and 5 May was 2,377.
