The Metropolitan Police have decided not to take further action against Zack Polanski, leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, after he shared an image online featuring a man wearing a T-shirt with a cartoon guillotine and the phrase "we’re only making plans for Nigel," referring to former Reform UK leader Nigel Farage. The image, which was posted on Polanski’s Instagram page following a collaboration request from a photographer, sparked controversy and led to a police inquiry.

Polanski stated in an interview that he accepted the collaboration request without closely reviewing the images, which included 20 photos, one of which displayed the contentious T-shirt. He described the inclusion of the image as an inadvertent mistake and declined to offer a direct apology to Farage, asserting that he would apologize if the sharing had been deliberate. Polanski emphasized his condemnation of political violence and pledged to be more vigilant regarding his social media activity moving forward. The image was subsequently removed from his account.

The incident drew immediate criticism from Reform UK, with Farage and the party’s home affairs spokesperson, Zia Yusuf, accusing Polanski of inciting murder. Farage publicly called for Polanski’s arrest, and Reform UK framed the episode as evidence of a double standard in the application of justice. However, the Metropolitan Police stated following their review that the circumstances did not meet the threshold for criminal prosecution in relation to the image’s sharing. They emphasized the importance of addressing threats against politicians but found that Polanski’s conduct was unlikely to amount to a criminal offence.

Separately, the police reported the wearing of the T-shirt itself as a potential offense and forwarded a crime report to Avon and Somerset Police, the jurisdiction covering Bristol where the photo was taken.

In reaction to the controversy, the Green Party argued that the police’s decision confirmed the absence of criminal wrongdoing and accused Reform UK of exploiting the issue for political purposes. Meanwhile, government officials, including Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden, highlighted the responsibility of politicians to exercise caution in their online behaviour and noted that mistakes can occur, leaving enforcement decisions to law enforcement authorities.

Publicly, the episode appears to have had mixed political consequences. While some opinion polls showed a decrease in support for the Greens, others demonstrated stable levels above those prior to Polanski assuming leadership last year. The dispute underscores ongoing tensions in British politics regarding the boundaries of free expression and accountability in a climate of heightened sensitivity to threats against public figures.