Britain12 May, 20262 min read
Zack Polanski Apologises After Admitting He May Have Failed To Pay Council Tax
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Polanski admitted possible failure to pay correct council tax on a London houseboat. He apologised and said he has taken steps to pay any tax owed.
Council tax houseboat admission
Green Party leader Zack Polanski admitted he may have failed to pay the correct council tax while living on a London houseboat, after questions over whether the vessel moored in east London was his primary residence. In a statement given to the BBC, a Green Party spokesperson said Polanski had "taken steps to pay any council tax he may be found to owe" and added "Zack apologises sincerely for the unintentional mistake."
The BBC said a boat is liable for council tax when used as a person's "sole or main residence," and it reported that the Times had questioned whether Polanski had paid council tax for the boat for the past three years. The BBC also reported that the Times saw an advertisement to sell the boat in which Polanski's partner wrote: "We are moving house and so will sadly be leaving the gorgeous community behind."
Party line and political backlash
The Green Party initially told The Times that Polanski only stayed on the houseboat "occasionally" and rented a room at a different address where council tax was included in the rent, before issuing an apology late on Monday night. The BBC reported that when it asked for clarification about Polanski's residence and whether he had paid the relevant council tax, a party spokesperson said: "Until relatively recently, Zack was living on a houseboat, which came with its own unique practical circumstances and considerations."
Labour said Polanski "cannot be trusted" and the Conservatives accused him of "staggering hypocrisy," while the Mirror quoted a Labour spokesperson saying Polanski has been "caught red handed." The Mirror also reported that Tory London Assembly member Neil Garratt lodged a formal complaint, saying: "People rightly expect senior politicians to follow the rules and pay the taxes they impose on others."
Tax analysis and next steps
Tax lawyer Dan Neidle, founder of Tax Policy Associates, analysed Polanski's situation and wrote that if the boat was his "sole or main residence" then he and/or his partner should have registered for, and paid, council tax for those three years. The BBC reported that Neidle wrote on his Tax Policy Associates website: "If, as seems likely, that was his main residence, then Mr Polanski and his partner should have paid council tax there."
“If, as seems likely, that was his main residence, then Mr Polanski and his partner should have paid council tax there.”
The BBC said Polanski and his partner used a nearby building as a postal address, and it reported that the marina is part of Waltham Forest borough council. The Mirror said the Green Party spokesperson pointed to "two serious incidents which have been reported to the police and are under investigation," while the Green Party said it would not comment publicly on Polanski's address for security reasons.