Exclusive | Racism claims rock Green Party as allegations of “structural failure” emerge
Leaked letter alleges retaliation, governance breakdown and unfulfilled anti-racism commitments, amid wider concerns over party culture
The Green Party of England and Wales is facing renewed scrutiny over allegations of racism and internal dysfunction, after a senior member accused it of “structural” failings and a culture of retaliation, Black Current News has learned.
In a detailed open letter seen by this publication, Hamza Egal, Chair of Global Majority Greens and Convener of the Racism Policy Working Group, sets out a series of claims spanning governance, disciplinary processes and what he describes as “racialised harm”.
Global Majority Greens, chaired by Hamza, is a grouping within the party made up largely of Black and Asian members.
“The Green Party has a racism problem,” he writes.
“Not a perception problem. Not a communication problem. A racism problem - structural, documented and sustained.”
The letter, addressed to senior figures including party leader Zack Polanski and CEO Harriet Lamb, alleges that internal processes have been “weaponised” against members raising concerns, while anti-racism commitments agreed by party members have gone unimplemented.
Among the most serious claims are that:
complaints procedures have been used in a retaliatory way
diversity data is not being properly collected, limiting scrutiny of bias
Subject Access Requests linked to an active disciplinary case were delayed or mishandled
A conference-passed anti-racism motion from October 2025 has not been implemented
Hamza also calls for an independent investigation into the conduct of the party’s Spring Conference 2026, alleging that procedural disruption prevented key motions from being heard.
He claims that concerns raised internally were met with “process, delay, and silence”, adding that he had been excluded from meetings and subjected to complaints after raising governance issues.
This comes as Zack Polanski continues to position the party publicly on issues of racism and solidarity.
He was among the speakers at a huge anti–far right demonstration in central London in March on Saturday, where tens of thousands gathered to protest rising extremism.
A pattern of concern
The allegations do not exist in isolation.
In January, Demetrius Williams, a former co-chair of LGBTIQA+ Greens, left the party after less than two years of active membership.
In a public statement, he cited poor governance, weak communication and what he described as “cliquey behaviour”, alongside allegations of racism and sexism within parts of the organisation.
He said he still believed in the party’s broader political message, but could no longer publicly advocate for it given his internal experiences.
Earlier claims also point to longer-standing concerns.
In 2020, a Green Party equalities and diversity officer launched a crowdfunding campaign to take the party to court over alleged racial discrimination and victimisation.
Rashid Nix said he had experienced years of “micro-racism” and questioned recruitment processes after his anonymised application was allegedly identified and rejected.
He also accused the party of attempting to pressure him into accepting a “gagging order” as part of a proposed settlement.
At the time, he said the case was about “seeking justice from a political party that should know better.”
Hamza’s letter places particular emphasis on leadership accountability, questioning whether senior figures have acted on known issues.
He argues that anti-racism within the party is being “performed externally” while not being implemented internally, and accuses the leadership of failing to act despite being aware of concerns.
The letter also raises questions about whether conference decisions are being treated as binding and whether party structures are being applied equally to all members.
“This is how institutional racism operates,” Hamzal writes.
“Often through process, often through silence, but always with material consequences.”
Calls for accountability
The letter sets out a list of demands, including:
a full account of the House of Lords selection process
implementation of the party’s anti-racism platform
compliance with data protection requests
publication of diversity data
an independent investigation into Spring Conference 2026
It concludes with a direct challenge to the party’s leadership: “The Green Party must now choose what it is…It cannot speak the language of justice while practising exclusion.”
The scrutiny comes at a time of rapid growth for the party.
In March, the Green Party of England and Wales announced that its membership had surpassed 200,000, nearly tripling from around 68,000 in September 2025.
The Green Party has been approached for comment.
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