Zack Polanski, leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, said he may have failed to pay the correct council tax while living on a houseboat.
The admission comes as public officials and political opponents scrutinize the financial transparency of party leaders. Because council tax is a primary funding source for local services, discrepancies in payment by high-profile politicians often trigger debates over public trust and accountability.
Polanski lived on a houseboat moored in east London. Questions arose regarding whether the vessel served as his primary residence, which affects how council tax is calculated and billed. Polanski said he apologized for underpaying council tax for three years [1].
A spokesperson for the Green Party said the situation was an unintentional mistake, and the party has immediately taken steps to pay any tax owed. The party said the error was not a deliberate attempt to evade financial obligations.
Reports on the value of the houseboat vary significantly between sources. One report valued the vessel at £100,000 [2], while another cited a value of £2 million [1]. This discrepancy highlights the difficulty in valuing non-traditional residential properties on the water.
Polanski has pledged to settle all outstanding arrears to resolve the matter with the local authority. The Green Party has not specified the total amount of the underpayment, but it said the oversight was administrative in nature.
“"I apologise for underpaying council tax for three years."”
This incident places the Green Party leader under scrutiny regarding his personal financial management. While the party frames the underpayment as a clerical error, the discrepancy in the houseboat's reported value—ranging from £100,000 to £2 million—could lead to further questions about the scale of the tax shortfall and Polanski's overall financial disclosures.
