Labour tears up power-sharing deals with the Greens in 11 councils over Polanski's 'Zionism is racism' policy
Zack Polanski, whose party's October conference motion declaring Zionism a form of racism passed 1,022 to 813, opposed by four of the Greens' five MPs.
Labour's National Executive Committee has ordered its councillors to withdraw from power-sharing arrangements in 11 English councils after local Green groups refused to disown their party's October conference motion declaring Zionism a form of racism. Party chair Bridget Phillipson said the policy 'crosses a line' and Labour will not partner with any party supporting it 'at any level of government'. Councils losing their coalitions include Sheffield, Warwick, Lewes and West Devon, while six councils where Greens condemned the motion keep their deals.
Green leader Zack Polanski, who dodged the Brighton conference vote entirely, hit back on X: 'Labour are trying to bully everyone into defending genocide.'
The 'Zionism is racism' motion passed 1,022 to 813 at the Green conference — opposed by four of the party's five MPs — and calls for Israel to be replaced by a single Palestinian state.
Cornwall Greens mayor Drew Creek has already defected to Labour over the motion, saying the party has taken 'a direction' he cannot support.