Jewish groups warn Greens not to adopt 'overtly antisemitic' platform as ex-leaders slam Zionism motion
From the Newshound archive · first published 2 October 2026.
Caroline Lucas, the Green Party's first ever MP and former leader, warned the motion risks being seen as a sign that Jewish people are not welcome in the party.Zack Polanski, who openly identifies as an antizionist, pointedly refused to address the 'Zionism is Racism' motion or Jewish Green members' antisemitism concerns in his conference speech.
Britain's three leading Jewish communal organisations — the Board of Deputies, the Jewish Leadership Council and the Community Security Trust — have written to Green Party leader Zack Polanski warning that a motion declaring 'Zionism is Racism', due to be debated at the Brighton conference on Sunday, would make the Greens the first electorally significant UK party in living memory to adopt what they call an 'overtly antisemitic political platform'. The letter arrives on the first anniversary of the murderous attack on the Heaton Park Synagogue, and follows an earlier warning sent in February that went unheeded.
Former Green leader Caroline Lucas warned the motion 'could be seen as a sign that Jewish people aren't welcome in the party' and will not support it.
Former co-leader Adrian Ramsay also confirmed he will vote against it, calling it 'not needed and not helpful', with current co-deputy Rachel Millward also raising concerns.
Polanski himself, who openly identifies as an antizionist, pointedly refused to address the motion in his conference speech — or the antisemitism concerns of Jewish Green members.
