Zack Polanski has admitted he was wrong to claim he was a spokesperson for the British Red Cross.
The Green Party leader told the BBC on Wednesday: “I used the wrong word, and I accept that”.
He had made the claim as he campaigned to become his party’s deputy leader back in 2022.
But the British Red Cross told the Times that Mr Polanski “has not been a spokesperson” for the charity and it had raised the issue with the Green Party.
Asked about it this morning, Mr Polanski said: “I hosted various fundraisers for the British Red Cross, and indeed I would go on stage and speak for them about the amazing work they do tackling humanitarian crises, on the climate crisis, and indeed, for refugees all around the world.
“I used the wrong word, and I accept that, but I would essentially take words on stage with me and speak.
“It’s important, though, and I accept this, that they don’t support any political party, and I’ve made sure that’s been taken down.”
It was also alleged that Mr Polanski was not a full member of the National Council of Hypnotherapy when he claimed to be.
The London Assembly member’s time as a hypnotherapist has come under the spotlight in recent months after a 2013 Sun article where he offered to increase a woman’s breast size through the power of hypnosis was unearthed.
He has apologised for the incident and insisted it was not a service he routinely offered.
But he said he agreed to it when the Sun journalist had asked for it.
However, in an interview that Mr Polanski did six days after the Sun piece was published, he talked about “a successful project” with the woman in changing the size of her breasts.
In it he indicted that he had tried the technique with other people.
Polls have predicted the Green Party will make significant gains at the local elections on May 7.
But Mr Polanski has come under scrutiny for failing to tackle alleged antisemitism among his members and candidates.
Confronted with a series of comments made by his candidates, the Green leader said: “Those messages are all unacceptable, and it’s important to condemn that.
“The Green Party are an anti-racist party and it’s important that we stick to our values.”
He said there would be a “standardised vetting process” in future, with compulsory training for candidates, “to make it clear that antisemitism is completely unwelcome in the Green Party, as it is in society”.
“It is also important to say one case of antisemitism is one too many,” he added.
“This is a handful of cases and actually we have over 4,500 candidates, the vast, vast majority of which are doing amazing work in their communities right now.”
