Police looking into Polanski post after complaints by Reform UK

The Met Police has said it is making enquiries after a post reshared by Green Party leader Zack Polanski was reported to them by Reform UK.

In the image, a man can be seen wearing a black t-shirt with a guillotine on the front, along with the words: “We’re only making plans for Nigel”, apparently alluding to Reform’s leader Nigel Farage.

Reform have said the picture amounts to incitement to murder.

The photo was shared as part of a bigger carousel of photos from a Green Party event in Bristol, with Polanski invited to be a collaborator on the post. He did not share the picture himself.

Farage shared a screenshot of the image on X, writing: “This is what Zack Polanski has just posted on his Instagram. If I was to post anything as inciteful then I would expect to be arrested, and so should Polanski.”

A spokesperson for the Met Police said officers were looking into the image.

“Earlier today – Monday, 27 July – we received a third-party report relating to an image shared on social media,” the statement said.

“We take reports of this nature extremely seriously, and officers are conducting enquiries into the matter.” .

Reform’s spokesperson for home affairs Zia Yusuf claimed the image was “incitement to murder”, saying: “To do this just two weeks after our friend Ann (Widdecombe) was murdered is staggering.”

A spokesperson for the Green Party said Zack had not seen the image in the carousel when he collaborated with it.

“After attending a public event, Zack accepted a request to collaborate on a post with several images,” the spokesperson said.

“Once this image was brought to his attention he immediately unshared the post. He unequivocally does not support this type of dangerous message.”

Farage is currently campaigning to be re-elected in Clapton, where he stepped down as an MP in early July following scrutiny over his personal finances.

Before his resignation, the Reform UK leader was the subject of a standards probe over a £5 million gift he received from crypto-billionaire Christopher Harborne before the general election.

He was then referred to the standards commissioner again over support he received from his long-term associate George Cottrell, which reportedly included funding for staffing, security and the use of a London townhouse.

The Sunday Times said Cottrell recruited and paid three staff members to work on Farage’s social media before the election and has continued to allow him to use a five-storey Georgian property he rented near Buckingham Palace.

Under parliamentary rules, newly elected MPs must declare gifts or benefits, including accommodation, received 12 months before their election that relate to “parliamentary or political activities”.

Farage has insisted he has not done anything wrong, and said the gifts and benefits are exempt because they were for personal use, but chose to resign from his seat to let the “people of Clacton be the judges” of his actions.

He will stand against a record 33 other candidates in the Clacton by-election, despite the major parties refusing to field candidates.