Reform UK has formally reported Green Party leader Zack Polanski to the police over an Instagram post that included an image of a man wearing a t-shirt with a guillotine design and the words "We're only making plans for Nigel." The report follows Reform UK leader Nigel Farage's public statement, where he suggested that such content, if posted by him, would warrant arrest.

The incident occurred when Polanski shared a post on Instagram, which featured several photographs from a Green Party event. He had accepted a request to collaborate with another account, leading to the inclusion of the controversial image among others. The post was shared with his 713,000 followers.

Following the report by Reform UK, the Metropolitan Police confirmed on X that they had received a third-party report concerning the social media image. Officers are reportedly conducting enquiries into the matter, stating they take reports of this nature "extremely seriously."

Reform UK's home affairs spokesperson, Zia Yusuf, characterized the image as a call for the "beheading of Nigel Farage" and claimed it constituted an "incitement to murder." Yusuf also confirmed that Reform UK would report Polanski to the monitoring officer at the Greater London Assembly, where Polanski serves as an elected member. Yusuf emphasized the timing of the post, occurring shortly after the murder of Reform UK's Ann Widdecombe, stating it was "staggering" and should be treated as incitement to murder.

A spokesperson for the Green Party stated that Zack Polanski "unequivocally does not support this type of dangerous message." The spokesperson explained that Polanski had accepted the collaboration request without realizing the full content of the multi-image post. The t-shirt was described as "clearly in poor taste," particularly given the heightened security concerns for public figures, including Polanski himself, who has experienced threats.

The phrase "We're only making plans for Nigel" is a reference to the lyrics of a 1979 song by the band XTC. The photographer who took the image, posting under the username just.barold, claimed responsibility for the satirical t-shirt photo. He apologized to Polanski on X, stating the image was not intended as a serious threat and that he had reported himself to the police.

The BBC understands that Zack Polanski has not yet been contacted by the police. The incident has reignited discussions about the security of political figures in public life, a topic brought to the forefront by the recent murder of Ann Widdecombe. The photographer also suggested that the "performative outrage" was misdirected and that any accountability should fall on the creator of the image.

Reform UK has also stated its intention to report Polanski to the monitoring officer at the Greater London Assembly. Polanski, as a member of the assembly, is subject to certain conduct standards. The party's stance highlights ongoing political tensions and the sensitivity surrounding public discourse and threats against political figures.