The Green Party has defended a campaign video in which leader Zack Polanski speaks in Urdu, insisting that “democracy doesn’t discriminate by languages spoken”.
The video shows Polanski addressing voters in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election, as he urges them to back the Greens on October 8.
“My name is Zack Polanski, and I am standing for the seat of Holborn and St Pancras. Because of pressure from the Greens, Labour has made many U-turns. Vote for the Greens,” he says.
But the video has sparked backlash from MPs, with Tory shadow communities secretary Katie Lam branding the campaign “poisonous” and arguing that British political campaigning should be conducted strictly "in the language of public life".
آٹھ اکتوبر کو گرین پارٹی کو ووٹ دیں pic.twitter.com/xzqVkDpXLv
— Bold Politics (@_BoldPolitics) September 14, 2026
Urdu is an Indo-Aryan language primarily spoken in South Asia, and is the national language of Pakistan.
According to census data, around 10% of voters in Holborn and St Pancras are Bangladeshi, while 3% are Indian and less than 1% are Pakistani.
Writing on X, Ms Lamm said: “Here's the leader of the Green Party, campaigning in Urdu.
“Attempting to appeal to group-based grievances by campaigning in foreign languages is poisonous.
“We must ban this practice for good. Politics in our country should be conducted in the language of public life.”
Business secretary Jonathan Reynolds also criticised the video, saying voters should be able to understand what candidates are saying.
He said the footage made him feel “uncomfortable”, telling Times Radio that his views “have hardened” on the need for campaign literature to be in English.
The Green Party's video does feature subtitles, but those subtitles are also in Urdu, meaning English-speaking voters need a translation to understand the message.
Here's the leader of the Green Party, campaigning in Urdu.
— Katie Lam (@Katie_Lam_MP) September 14, 2026
Attempting to appeal to group-based grievances by campaigning in foreign languages is poisonous.
We must ban this practice for good. Politics in our country should be conducted in the language of public life. https://t.co/xLCq6ZiFqT
The row has put the Greens’ campaigning under scrutiny as parties compete for votes in the by-election.
But the Greens have defended the video, saying it reflects the diversity of London.
A Green Party spokesperson said: "The Greens believe that democracy doesn't discriminate by languages spoken. Many people are bilingual. 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.
“If we want to speak to people who speak Urdu, it makes sense to speak to them in Urdu. We're proud to reach voters in as many languages as possible".
The Holborn and St Pancras by-election will take place on October 8, with candidates including Zack Polanski (Greens), Sagal Abdi-Wali (Labour) and Ewan Cameron (Conservatives) battling for the seat vacated by former prime minister Sir Keir Starmer.
