British premier rules out Labour-Green partnership for Zionism motion

British Premier Andy Burnham on Wednesday ruled out a partnership between the Labour Party and the Green Party following the Greens' controversial motion declaring that "Zionism is racism." Burnham was asked during the Prime Minister's Questions whether he would rule out a pact with the Greens. "Can I condemn the motion that was passed unequivocally. It is wrong. It is antisemitic, and this side of the House will have nothing to do with it," Burnham responded. "We cannot support a partnership with a party that holds a position that has recently been adopted." The Green Party passed a motion defining Zionism as "a political ideology which called for the creation – and, now it exists, the continuity – of an ethnonationalist Jewish State in historic Palestine to the exclusion and/or domination of the non-Jewish population." In response to the controversy, a Green Party spokesperson said, "The motion at the Green Party conference has provoked strong debate and there are different views on aspects of the motion, but for Andy Burnham to conflate criticism of Israel, with antisemitism is disappointing and wrong." Green Party leader Zack Polanski also criticized Burnham's remarks, highlighting his position as the only Jewish leader of a political party. "I'm the only Jewish leader of a political party. I'm a victim of antisemitism every day and I've made it clear Jewish people are welcome in my party," Polanski wrote on US social media company X. "You're a prime minister who arms a genocide and locks pensioners up for opposing it." Polanski described Burnham's comments as a "dangerous and irresponsible blurring of challenging Israel and antisemitism," which he called "deeply revealing." "A Labour government who apologized over their actions over Gaza is demonstrating that it was all performative," said Polanski. "Andy Burnham still stands with Israel whilst it kills innocent people."