Polls opened Thursday for millions of Britons in a series of races set to heap more pressure on beleaguered Prime Minister Keir Starmer and showcase the rise of hard-right and left-wing populist parties, both of which face accusations of antisemitism and bigotry at a time when Jews in the UK are under increasing threat.

Voters across Scotland, England and Wales head to the ballot box in Starmer’s biggest electoral test since his July 2024 general election landslide victory ended 14 years of Conservative rule.

Opinion polls predict grim results for Labour, which could amplify calls for Starmer, 63, to resign or finally face a long-rumored party leadership challenge.

Nigel Farage’s anti-immigrant Reform UK and the left-wing Greens, led by self-described eco-populist Zack Polanski, are expected to be the main beneficiaries of widespread disillusionment.

The Green Party has surged in recent polls, as its leader has focused much of his campaign on opposition to Israel and has accused Starmer of being on a “Zionist” payroll. Multiple Green candidates said to be under investigation for alleged antisemitism.

Polanski, who is Jewish, has accused Israel of genocide in Gaza, urged the UK to end diplomatic and trade ties with Israel, called for the arrest of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, for whom the International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant, and condemned Israel’s “horrendous and illegal” airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear sites and ballistic missile program during the June 2025 war.

Last week, Polanski faced backlash — and later apologized — after retweeting a post criticizing police over how they arrested an attacker who stabbed and seriously injured two Jewish men in a Jewish neighborhood of London. That attack came amid a spate of arson and stabbing attacks targeting Jews and Jewish institutions in the UK capital, which has sparked increased government efforts to counter the growing antisemitic violence in the country.

This week, UK media reported that the Green party was investigating over 30 local council candidates for alleged antisemitism just days before the election, including at least ten who downplayed or justified violence against Jews.

While the party has said that some candidates have already been suspended, it dismissed the problematic members as only a small minority of those running.

Since the nomination deadline for the upcoming elections has passed, candidates’ names cannot be legally removed from ballots, even if their parties withdraw support or suspend them. Polanski admitted during the selection process that vetting was a “real challenge” for the Greens, though he has since said he has confidence in........

© The Times of Israel