Labour councils told to end agreements with Greens who do not condemn ‘Zionism is racism’ policy

Labour councils who share power with the Greens have been told to terminate agreements if their Green partners do not condemn the party’s new “Zionism is racism” policy. Bridget Phillipson, the Labour chair, said groups working with Green party politicians must review their agreements and end them unless they reject the controversial motion, which Andy Burnham has called “antisemitic” . The policy, which was adopted at the Green party conference in Brighton at the start of the month, equates Zionism, the movement for a Jewish state, with racism. It also rejects a two-state solution and calls for Israel to be replaced by a single Palestinian state “with equal rights for all”. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said on Thursday it had written to the Green party of England and Wales to seek more information about the motion “and assess its practical implications and potential impact”. Several individuals and groups had said they planned to contact the watchdog to argue that the new policy risked breaching equality laws. On Wednesday, Burnham ruled out Labour having a partnership with the Greens. Asked about the motion during prime minister’s questions, Burnham said: “It is wrong. It is antisemitic, and this side of the house will have nothing to do with it.” Burnham went on to state that Labour would not “support a partnership with a party that holds [the] position that has recently been adopted”. Giving further details of Labour’s response to the motion, Phillipson said Greens who were working with Labour in local government would be asked “to make clear that they reject this position and to call on their national leadership to reconsider” the policy. She added: “We have asked local Green groups to respond as a matter of urgency. Where they are unable to provide that assurance, Labour will bring any such local arrangement to an end. This isn’t an issue of party politics, it’s about doing what is right and upholding the values anyone holding public office should share. “The Labour party fought hard to address antisemitism within our own party and ensure it had no place in our politics. We have a responsibility to uphold those same standards in our relationships with other parties.” Responding to the announcement, a Green party spokesperson said: “For the Labour government to conflate criticism of Israel with antisemitism is disappointing and wrong. Trying to tell local parties what to do and who they can work with is undemocratic. “Whilst Labour continue to try to meddle in our internal democracy, arm a genocide and lock up protesting pensioners, we will not take lectures from them.” The Guardian understands that local Green party councillors are unlikely to face disciplinary measures if they do condemn the motion, as the party has a highly decentralised structure and no whipping system. Several MPs and the former leader Caroline Lucas have already stated their opposition, and dissent about policy is tolerated. Southwark Greens have already disowned the policy to maintain a coalition with the Liberal Democrats. The binding anti-Zionism policy motion was passed on 4 October by 1,022 votes to 813. The 1,022 votes represented 0.4% of the Green party membership. Four of the Greens’ five MPs opposed the policy, while the group representing European Green parties expressed dismay at the move, which runs counter to their support for a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine. Zack Polanski, the Green party leader, abstained from the vote to campaign in the Holborn and St Pancras byelection , which he lost. In a statement on Thursday, the EHRC said it had received complaints about the policy breaching the Equality Act, “including concerns that Jewish people could face discrimination because of their beliefs following the adoption of the motion”. It added: “We recognise that many Jewish people will be feeling vulnerable following the party’s motion. Political parties, like all duty-bearers, must comply with the Equality Act and take steps to avoid discrimination including on the grounds of race, religion or belief.” Affected councils Derbyshire Dales Lib Dem-led coalition Broadland Lib Dem-led coalition West Suffolk Labour-led coalition Arun Lib Dem-led coalition Havant Labour-led coalition Lewes Green-led coalition Rother Coalition led by local independent group Runnymede Coalition with Lib Dems, Greens and local independent group Wealden Green-led coalition West Oxfordshire Lib Dem-led coalition West Sussex Lib Dem-led coalition North Somerset Lib Dem-led coalition West Devon Independent-led coalition Monmouthshire Labour minority-led coalition Coventry Labour-led confidence and supply agreement with the Greens Stafford Labour-led coalition Warwick Green-led coalition Sheffield Labour-led coalition Explore more on these topics Labour Green party Local politics news Share Reuse this content