MPs call on city Greens to disown Zionism motion

- Published

Three Birmingham Labour MPs have called for the city council's power-sharing coalition to end if Green Party cabinet members do not disown a motion declaring Zionism a form of racism.

In a letter to Liberal Democrat council leader Roger Harmer, MPs Al Carns, Jess Phillips and Preet Gill urge the councillors to publicly denounce the policy adopted at the Green's conference earlier this month.

Harmer told the BBC the Lib Dems would continue working in coalition with the Greens, as long they continue to abide by a partnership agreement which includes a commitment to fight antisemitism.

Birmingham Greens referred the BBC to a statement saying its councillors "stand against rising antisemitism".

The statement, updated on 14 October, added Jewish residents had "an absolute right to feel safe and valued in a city they helped to build".

The Green Party's three cabinet members in Birmingham are deputy council leader councillor Julien Pritchard, councillor Kamel Hawwash and councillor Jane Baston.

Hawwash is the only one of the three named as a supporter of the Green Party's new policy on its motion document, external.

The motion, adopted on 4 October, describes Zionism as an ideology supporting "an ethnonationalist Jewish state", and instead supports a "single democratic Palestinian state in all of historic Palestine".

It has divided senior Green politicians and has led to a backlash from some Jewish groups.

Since then, Labour has said it will end power-sharing agreements with the Green Party on local councils unless councillors disown it.

In Birmingham, however, Labour is not part of the Lib Dem, Green and Better Birmingham Independent Group administration running the city council.

Tuesday's letter, which is also co-signed by Labour peers Baroness Morris of Yardley, Lord Rooker, Lord McCabe and Lord Hunt of Kings Heath, describes the adoption of the policy as "an abhorrent step".

"It has no place in British political life and will do nothing to help the Palestinian or Israeli people," it states.

"The motion echoes anti-Jewish movements from the Soviet Union, the National Front and terrorist groups Hamas and Hezbollah. It is in itself racist, discriminatory and extremist."

The letter adds: "We today urge you to seek a public statement from the Greens in your cabinet that they disown the motion.

"If they are unwilling to do so, then we ask that you show moral fibre and bring your power sharing agreement with the Greens in Birmingham to an immediate end."

In a statement on Friday, Birmingham's Lib Dem group said it remained focused on delivering the Fairer Birmingham Partnership Agreement (FBPA) made between it and the other ruling parties.

"It is not a merger of political parties, and each party continues to hold and express its own national policies and positions," it added.

The statement continued: "We strongly disagree with the motion passed by the Green Party regarding Zionism and remain firmly committed to a two-state solution.

"We have received reassurances that the Birmingham Greens also remain fully committed to the FBPA and will not seek to change any aspect of it as a result of the motion passed at their recent conference."

In addition, Harmer told the BBC he did not personally agree with the Greens' motion.

The local election results and the differences between the parties had made forming a council incredibly difficult, he added, and the partnership was about trying to deliver stable governance for the people of Birmingham until the next elections.

Birmingham Greens' statement said councillors were committed to representing all the city's faiths and local communities, and also to the FBPA.

"We will also continue to stand in opposition to genocide, ethnic cleansing, apartheid and the illegal occupation. We look to a future where Palestinians, Israelis – and indeed all communities – can be free, secure and prosperous," it added.

"We do not believe these things are in conflict."