Labour Tells Councils to End Green Ties Over Zionism Policy

Labour has instructed its local groups to terminate power-sharing agreements with Green Party councillors unless local Green representatives reject a controversial party conference policy declaring Zionism is racism. Party chair Bridget Phillipson stated that groups working with Green politicians must review their arrangements and end them unless they reject the motion.

The policy in question was passed by members at the Green Party conference earlier this month and states that support for the existence of an Israeli state is equivalent to racism, rejecting a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict in favor of a single state of Palestine with equal rights for all.

Party Chair Directive on Local Deals

Bridget Phillipson said that local Labour parties currently sharing arrangements with the Greens in local government expect their Green counterparts to make clear that they reject this position and call on their national leadership to reconsider the policy. Labour has asked local Green groups to respond as a matter of urgency, warning that Labour will bring any such local arrangement to an end where assurance cannot be provided.

Andy Burnham condemned the motion during Prime Minister’s Questions, calling it wrong and antisemitic and ruling out coalition agreements with the Greens while the policy remains. While it was initially unclear if that stance extended to local government, Labour confirmed in a morning statement that it does apply locally.

Impact on Existing Council Arrangements

Labour currently leads a coalition alongside the Green Party on Sheffield City Council, and works alongside the Greens and the Lib Dems to run Havant Borough Council in Hampshire. Other local authorities listed with coalition or partnership arrangements involving Labour, the Greens, Liberal Democrats, and local independent groups include Derbyshire Dales, Broadland, West Suffolk, Arun, Lewes, Rother, Runnymede, Wealden, West Oxfordshire, West Sussex, North Somerset, West Devon, Monmouthshire, Coventry, Stafford, and Warwick.