STORY
Green Party leader Zack Polanski has apologised after admitting he may have failed to pay the correct council tax while living on a houseboat in east London. The issue emerged after questions were raised about whether the boat was his main residence. Government guidance says council tax may be payable on a boat if it is someone’s sole or main home. A Green Party spokesperson said Polanski had lived on the boat “until relatively recently” and had “immediately taken steps” to pay any council tax he may be found to owe.
The admission followed earlier claims that Polanski only stayed on the boat occasionally while renting a room elsewhere, where council tax was included in the rent. That explanation came under scrutiny after reports that his partner had described the boat as their home in a sales advert, and after questions were raised about his voter registration near the marina.
Tax lawyer Dan Neidle, of Tax Policy Associates, said that if the boat had been Polanski’s sole or main residence, council tax should have been paid. He also argued that if the boat was not his main home, separate questions could arise over electoral registration.