Votez pour les Verts! Green leader Zack Polanski asks for French votes in cringe Holborn and San Pancras by-election video after criticism of Urdu language plea

See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source Published: 06:38 EDT, 16 September 2026 | Updated: 06:48 EDT, 16 September 2026 Zack Polanski has turned his attention to French speaking voters ahead of the Holborn and St Pancras by-election after being criticised for campaigning in Urdu.The Green leader issued a new video online appealing for people in the north London seat to 'votez pour les verts' on October 8.It appeared to be an attempt to troll critics – including Tory shadow ministers – of his previous video in the national language of Pakistan, which he released despite the seat having few speakers.Mr Polanski is running to replace Sir Keir Starmer in a seat that has been Labour since it was created 43 years ago. In the latest clip released via his Bold Politics podcast he apologised for his French accent, which would not have been out of place in the BBC comedy Allo Allo in the 1980s and 1990s.'My name is Zack Polanski, and I am running to be the next MP for Holborn and St Pancras,' he said.'This year, the pressure that I — along with the Greens — have exerted on the Labour government in England has forced a change in policy. 'But we are keeping up the pressure. On October 8th, vote Green to send me to Parliament to hold the government to account. 'Thank you, and apologies for my pronunciation.' The Green leader issued a new video online appealing for people in the north London seat to 'votez pour les verts' on October 8 Zack Polanski has released a video entirely in Urdu for the Holborn and St Pancras by-electionBy switching to French Mr Polanski is using a language spoken by far more people on the seat than speak Urdu.Figures from the 2021 census show there were 2,488 with French as their main language, compared to just 156 who spoke Urdu.But that did not stop him from using the language in a post yesterday.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. Because of pressure from the Greens, Labour has made many U-turns. Vote for the Greens.' Urdu is spoken primarily in Pakistan and India, but just 3 per cent of the population of Holborn are Indian and less than 1 per cent are Pakistani. About 10 per cent of voters in Holborn and St Pancras are Bangladeshi, but the language of that country is Bengali. Tory local government spokesman Katie Lam tweeted: '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.'And shadow work and pensions secretary Helen Whately told Times Radio: 'I'm concerned to see this campaigning in other languages. Politicians should be campaigning in the languages of the United Kingdom. So for instance in London, I'd be expecting the candidates to be campaigning in English, not in other languages.'A Green Party spokesman told the Daily Mail: '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.'