Election expert who claimed ‘antisemitism crisis’ was ‘invented by Zionist lobby’ elected to Green Party council responsible for ‘party wellbeing and strategy’

Election to the Green Party's governing council

Eleanora Ní Chualáin — also known as Eleanora Sophie Folan — has been elected as the female representative for East Anglia on the Green Party's governing council (GPC). The election was confirmed via her Stats for Lefties platform, a polling analysis site that correctly predicted the result of February's Gorton and Denton by-election.

According to the party's website, the GPC "works alongside the Executive and other national GPEW [Green Party of England and Wales] party committees" and holds "responsibilities over areas such as the culture and wellbeing of the party, its governance, party policy, our political direction, and political strategy."

Background and past statements

Ní Chualáin, who is transgender and originally from Ireland, has previously suggested that the crisis of antisemitism in the UK was a "moral panic" that had been "invented by the Zionist lobby." She has also previously downplayed allegations of antisemitism against Green members.

In a social media statement celebrating her victory, Folan — as the Jerusalem Post refers to her — said: "I know there will be Zionists reading this who are utterly furious that I won. I welcome their hatred." She added, "I intend to stand by my manifesto: defend freedom of speech regarding Israel, support members when they're attacked and smeared by the feral Zionist press, and ensure all our members follow the same rules."

Folan expressed gratitude to the activist group Greens for Palestine for their support during the campaign, and described her election as "a symbol of change." She said, "Our party has changed, and my election as a proud anti-Zionist trans woman symbolizes that change." She added that she looks forward to working with colleagues on the governing council to "build a radical anti-imperialist Green Party — one that always stands shoulder-to-shoulder with queers, Palestinians, disabled people, migrants, refugees, and activists enduring state repression." She concluded her statement with the phrase "Inshallah, we will prevail."

Professional and political background

Folan is a data journalist, political commentator, and founder of the polling platform Stats for Lefties. She is also a former columnist for Novara Media and stood as a Green Party candidate in the 2024 Norwich City Council election.

Allegations and related controversies

In May, an investigation by GnasherJew, an open-source team, alleged that Folan had used her social media to propagate antisemitic tropes, including calling Israelis "bloodthirsty child-killers" and advocating for the dissolution of Israel.

Recent leaked messages from private WhatsApp groups, such as the "Greens Against Imperialism" chat created by parish councilor Sophus Magill, reportedly included discussions about "killing Zionists" and describing British Jews as a "weapon" for the Israeli state.

Separately, Green Party leader Zack Polanski faced backlash for wearing a T-shirt bearing the image of Marwan Barghouti, a Palestinian leader serving multiple life sentences in Israel for his role in terrorist attacks during the Second Intifada.

Reactions

A spokesperson for the Campaign Against Antisemitism told the Jerusalem Post that Folan is a "member of the governing party" and "unashamedly spewing extremist hatred", and argued that "Zack Polanski must now decide whether to condemn this rhetoric or appear to tolerate it."

Background

Two outlets provided coverage of this story: The Jewish Chronicle and The Jerusalem Post. Reports on the election, the quotes, and the controversy around Folan's views are sourced from their articles as noted above.