Mr Polanski distanced himself from his celebration’s “long-range vision” for open borders, saying it was not in his celebration’s manifesto and was an “attack line used by opponents” to query his credibility.
It got here as Mr Polanski, who has overseen a spike in help within the polls to double figures, refused to apologise over controversial feedback he made about care staff on BBC Query Time that had been criticised throughout the political spectrum.
He mentioned that “no manifesto ever said anything about open borders” and that the Greens had by no means stood at a normal election advocating for them.
“Clearly when the world is in political turmoil and we have deep inequality, that is not a situation we can move to right now,” he mentioned.
“That would also involve massive international agreements and cooperation. That clearly is not a pragmatic conversation to have right now. And very often the government try to push that attack line to make us look not pragmatic.”
The celebration’s manifesto final 12 months didn’t point out open borders, nevertheless it did name for an finish to the “hostile environment”, extra protected and authorized routes and for the House Workplace to be abolished and changed with a division of migration.
Requested why the coverage of minimal restrictions on migration had been attributed to his celebration, Mr Polanski mentioned open borders was a part of a “long-range vision of what society could look like if there was a Green government and if we’d had a long time to fix some of the systemic problems”.
‘We must always recognise the contribution migrants make’
Mr Polanski, who was elected Inexperienced Social gathering chief in September and has been in comparison with Nigel Farage over his populist financial insurance policies, mentioned his place was certainly one of a “fair and managed” migration system – though he didn’t specify whether or not that included a cap on numbers.
He acknowledged that there wanted to be a “separate conversation” about financial migration however that he didn’t imagine any one who boarded a small boat was in a “good situation”.
Whereas Mr Polanski harassed that he believed asylum seekers ought to be capable to work in Britain and pay taxes, he additionally mentioned he believed in the necessity to practice British staff in sectors akin to care, the place one in 5 are overseas nationals.
Requested what his proposals for a good and managed migration system seemed like, and whether or not he supported a cap on numbers, Mr Polanski mentioned: “We have now 100,000 vacancies within the Nationwide Well being Service. One in 5 care staff within the care sector are overseas nationals.
Picture:
Zack Polanski speaks to Sky Information from a warehouse in Calais the place charities and organisations present migrants with necessities.
“Now, of course, that is both British workers and we should be training British workers, but we should recognise the contribution that migrants and people who come over here make.”
I am not going to apologise’
Mr Polanski additionally responded to the criticism he attracted over his feedback about care staff on Query Time final week, the place he advised the viewers: “I don’t know about you, but I don’t particularly want to wipe someone’s bum” – earlier than including: “I’m very grateful for the people who do this work.”
His feedback have been criticised by a variety of Labour MPs, together with Wes Streeting, the well being secretary, who mentioned: “Social care isn’t just ‘wiping someone’s bum’. It is a hard, rewarding, skilled professional job.
“That is immigration as exploitation.”
Asked whether he could understand why some care workers might feel he had talked down to them, the Greens leader replied: “I care deeply about care staff. After I made these feedback, it is vital to offer a full context. I mentioned ‘I am very grateful to individuals who do that vital work’ and completely repeat that it is vital work.”
“In fact, it isn’t a part of the entire job, and I by no means pretended it was a part of the entire job.”
Mr Polanski said he “completely” rejected the suggestion that he had denigrated the role of care workers in the eyes of the public and said his remarks were made in the context of a “hostile Query Time” where he had “three right-wing panellists shouting at me”.
Pressed on whether he wanted to apologise, he replied: “I am not going to apologise for being actually clear that I am actually grateful to the individuals who do that actually very important work. And sure, we ought to be paying them correctly, too.”
