Zack Polanski, leader of the Green Party, has released a campaign video entirely in Urdu for the upcoming parliamentary by-election to replace Keir Starmer in Holborn and St Pancras on October 8. This move targets voters from Pakistan within the London constituency where around 22% identify as Asian, though only about 10% are Bangladeshi, with smaller percentages being Indian or Pakistani. Critics like Katie Lam of the Conservative Party have condemned the practice of campaigning in foreign languages, arguing it is divisive and should be banned.
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Zack Polanski has released a controversial campaign video entirely in Urdu to target voters from Pakistan in the parliamentary by-election to replace Sir Keir Starmer.
The Green Party leader posted the clip on his Bold Politics podcast channel on X, encouraging people to back him in the Holborn and St Pancras contest on October 8.
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leader → see → October
Under the caption 'Vote for the Green Party on October 8', he says in Urdu: 'My name is Zack Polanski, and I am standing for the seat of Holborn and St Pancras.
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I → vote → Holborn
Because of pressure from the Greens, Labour has made many U-turns.
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Labour → make → turns
Some 22 per cent of the population in the London constituency identify as Asian which is more than double the national figure of 9 per cent, according to census data.
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which → identify → data
Urdu is spoken primarily in Pakistan and India, and Mr Polanski appears to have posted the clip to try to attract voters from those countries who do not speak English.
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who → speak → English
But Tory local government spokesman Katie Lam tweeted: 'Here's the leader of the Green Party, campaigning in Urdu.
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leader → tweet → Urdu
Attempting to appeal to group-based grievances by campaigning in foreign languages is poisonous.
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Attempting → attempt → languages
We must ban this practice for good.
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We → ban → good
Politics in our country should be conducted in the language of public life.
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Politics → conduct → life
And shadow work and pensions secretary Helen Whately told Times Radio: 'I'm concerned to see this campaigning in other languages.
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this → tell → languages
Politicians should be campaigning in the languages of the United Kingdom.
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Politicians → campaign → Kingdom
So for instance in London, I'd be expecting the candidates to be campaigning in English, not in other languages.'
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candidates → expect → languages
Zack Polanski has released a video entirely in Urdu for the Holborn and St Pancras by-election
The Green Party leader posted the clip in Urdu on his Bold Politics podcast channel on X
Asked whether speaking English should be a requirement to vote in UK elections, she added: 'Oh goodness.
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she → release → elections
I think what I want to see is that people who are living in this country, wherever they've come from, are able to speak English and should be learning English if they don't speak English when they first come here.
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they → think → English
I think that's a really important thing to be able to be integrated and be part of our society.'
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that → think → society
Mr Polanski hopes to build on the Greens' momentum in the May local elections that saw the party placed second behind Labour in council wards within the constituency.
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party → hop → constituency
He is likely to be the most serious electoral threat to Labour's dominance in Holborn and St Pancras, which the party has held since the constituency was created in 1983.
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constituency → hold → 1983
At the 2024 general election and recent local elections, Labour voters have moved towards the Greens and independents amid dissatisfaction with the Government's approach to Gaza.
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voters → move → Gaza
The Greens were also criticised during the Gorton and Denton by-election in February, when they released a video of candidate Hannah Spencer speaking in Urdu.
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Spencer → criticise → Urdu
Ms Spencer, who was elected their fifth MP, also appeared on leaflets written in Urdu while dressed in a keffiyeh, the black-and-white checkered scarf associated with Palestine.
Meanwhile the Tories, Reform UK and the Liberal Democrats all announced their candidates for Holborn and St Pancras yesterday.
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Tories → elect → Holborn
Green Party leader Zack Polanski stands with party members at King's Place in London last Friday after he was picked as the candidate for the Holborn and St Pancras by-election
Zack Polanski speaks with voters last Saturday before the Holborn and St Pancras by-election
Patrick Stillman, councillor and outgoing chairman of Camden Lib Dems will stand for the Lib Dems.
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Stillman → stand → Dems
Ewan Cameron, a former Camden councillor, has been selected for the Conservatives.
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Cameron → select → Conservatives
Reform UK said former Metropolitan Police detective Pete Newman, who responded to the aftermath of the 7/7 bombings, would stand as its candidate.
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who → say → candidate
The contest was triggered when former prime minister Sir Keir announced he would stand down as MP for the constituency when Parliament returned on September 1.
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Parliament → trigger → September
Labour has chosen Sagal Abdi-Wali, the leader of Camden Council, as its candidate to succeed Sir Keir in the seat.
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Labour → choose → seat
Nominations for candidates close today.
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Nominations → close → candidates
A Green Party spokeswoman told the Daily Mail: 'The Greens believe that democracy doesn't discriminate by languages spoken.
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democracy → tell → languages
'Holborn and St Pancras is a true reflection of the diversity of London and of our country and we choose to embrace and celebrate that.
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we → choose → that
'If we want to speak to people who speak Urdu, it makes sense to speak to them in Urdu.
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it → want → Urdu
We're proud to reach voters in as many languages as possible.'
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We → reach → languages
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