A Green council candidate arrested this week for alleged antisemitic social media posts was seen canvassing over the weekend, because apparently party rules are more of a gentle suggestion than a hard-and-fast command. Sabine Mairey, one of two Green candidates in Lambeth, south London, was arrested by the Metropolitan police on Thursday morning. While the Greens declined to comment due to the police inquiry, sources say Mairey is under investigation and likely to be suspended soon - though not soon enough to stop her from hitting the streets in Clapham on Sunday with a group of fellow activists.
The party's rules clearly state that candidates under suspension or investigation should not campaign, but Mairey apparently decided that rules are for other people. The central party claims it had no idea about her weekend activities and will be reminding her of the rules, presumably via a strongly worded email. Labour was quick to pounce, with housing secretary Steve Reed saying the Greens are "rotting from the head down" and calling out leader Zack Polanski's "moral cowardice."
Polanski, who is Jewish, told the BBC that antisemitic comments "disgust me" and that tackling the issue is hugely important - though he rejected the idea that the Greens have a particular problem compared to other parties. He said he "disowns" candidates who make such comments and would tell voters not to vote for them. The other candidate, Saiqa Ali, has already been suspended. Both women's names have been removed from the Lambeth Greens' candidate page, a digital scrubbing that's about as effective as closing the barn door after the horse has not only bolted but also posted some questionable things on social media.