ZACK Polanski has urged the UK Government to move away from “Starmer’s surveillance state” following Palestine Action’s court win.
The Green Party of England and Wales (GPEW) leader warned that the Labour government is creating “Big Brother Britain” after Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said she would appeal against the High Court ruling that the proscription of Palestine Action was unlawful.
He urged ministers to change tack and end the “dangerous trend” in Westminster decisions, such as mandatory digital ID, crackdowns on peaceful protests, and ending jury trials.
It comes as Yvette Cooper, who proscribed Palestine Action when she was home secretary, defended the decision.
We told how the High Court ruled the ban was “disproportionate”. However, it remains in place to allow the Home Office a chance to appeal.
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Police Scotland issued a statement stating that it would enforce the law “proportionately” following the decision, after the Metropolitan Police said officers will stop arresting protesters who hold up signs declaring “I support Palestine Action” in the wake of the ruling.
However, the Met said it will continue to collect evidence to inform potential future prosecutions in case the court's decision is overturned on appeal.
The ban resulted in one of the largest campaigns of civil disobedience in the UK in recent years and the biggest prison hunger strike since the Irish republican hunger strike of 1981.
The protest group Defend Our Juries said more than 2700 people have been arrested for holding up signs supporting Palestine Action since the Government’s ban came into effect.
A number of people in Scotland were also arrested and charged under the legislation.
Despite hundreds of people being charged with terrorism offences across the UK, no-one has yet been convicted for supporting Palestine Action.
Polanski criticised UK ministers doubling down despite the court ruling, and also pointed to Labour’s contracts with US spy tech firm Palantir as part of creeping authoritarianism.
The controversial company has assisted ICE raids in the US by using patient data to target people for deportation, and it now has access to millions of NHS patients’ records.
It also has a contract with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) worth £240 million, signed in December 2025.
Polanski said: “For those who say [Keir] Starmer doesn't have a vision, let me lay it out for you.
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“Big Brother Britain: where protesters are thrown in jail without a jury trial, where digital ID is mandatory, and where our most personal health data is sold off to US tech giants.
“The verdict this week must mark a turning point: this government must step away from its dangerous trend towards Starmer’s surveillance state and instead guarantee our basic freedoms.
“This is briefcase authoritarianism: an insidious stripping away of our freedoms simply because this government doesn’t have any better ideas. Instead of making people’s lives better, they want to make our lives smaller.
“Enough is enough. This country deserves more. The Green Party will bring down the cost of bills and food so people can afford more than the bare essentials.
“Clean up our rivers and seas so our kids can learn to swim in them again. And make the daily grind a bit less grinding so people can start to dream again.”
Palestine Action’s court win was hailed as a “monumental victory for freedom” on Friday.
Mahmood said she was "disappointed" by the court's decision and the UK Government would take the matter to the Court of Appeal.
