Laura Kuenssberg’s Zack Polanski ‘gotcha’ wasn’t the slam-dunk she thought it was – 13 business class comebacks

You don’t have to be a fan of Zack Polanski to appreciate this but it will help. Only a little bit though.

Because it was a rather marvellous moment on BBC1’s Sunday politics programme where Laura Kuenssberg was interviewing the Green Party leader.

And this particular Q&A caught people’s attention, a moment when it looked like the BBC’s former political editor had a real humdinger of a question for her guest. But it ended up the very definition of a damp squib.

#bbclaurak tries to get a gotcha. Zack, you refuse to fly. How can you be a candidate for high office if you’d refuse to ever get on a plane?

Well Laura, in that situation I’d get on a plane. pic.twitter.com/vfWNSsNuw6

— Saul Staniforth (@SaulStaniforth) February 1, 2026

Stick it in the recycling, Laura.

And here are just a few of the responses it prompted.

1.

Literally just “I don’t need to fly so I don’t. If I did need to fly I would.”

It’s so goddamn simple. And Laura Kuenssberg can’t grasp that. 😂 https://t.co/AyNF82ggI7

— Alexander Louis Sallons (@sallonsax) February 1, 2026

2.

The barely concealed contempt in that ‘obviously’ 💀

— Nikkie 🪩 (@kikithorpedo) February 1, 2026

3.

What a stupid, childish question.@bbclaurak

— Steven Smith (@RocketRacer69) February 1, 2026

4.

“Are you that unreasonable?”
“No, are you that silly?” https://t.co/Y4ZVayPM1X

— Alonso Gurmendi (@Alonso_GD) February 1, 2026

5.

I truly appreciate that we have a highly visible politician who is talking coherently about balancing the harms from flying with the potential benefits and the wants of his ego.

It’s about time the media talked about frequent leisure flying in the same way as drink driving.

— Dr Kara #NotABystander 💙🍎🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ (@1pluseipi) February 1, 2026

6.

Extremely stupid attempt at a gotcha. https://t.co/xPH62X8nbu

— Marl Karx (@BareLeft) February 1, 2026