Labour MPs urge Birmingham's Lib Dem council leader to end his power-sharing deal with Greens over 'Zionism is racism' policy

Three Birmingham Labour MPs — Al Carns, Jess Phillips and Preet Kaur Gill — have written to Lib Dem council leader Roger Harmer demanding he end the city's coalition unless Green cabinet members publicly renounce their party's conference resolution that characterises Zionism as a form of racism. The letter, co-signed by four Labour peers, labels the policy "abhorrent" and says it echoes language used by Hamas, Hezbollah, the Soviet Union and the National Front.

Harmer told the BBC the Lib Dems will stay in coalition as long as Greens honour a partnership agreement that includes fighting antisemitism.

Of Birmingham's three Green cabinet members, only councillor Kamel Hawwash is named on the motion document as a supporter of the new policy.

Dozens of Green councillors nationally are distancing themselves from the motion, with Wealden District Council's Green group stating outright: 'We do not support the Zionism is Racism policy.'