Andy Burnham rules out deal with Zack Polanski’s Green Party
Andy Burnham ruled out a partnership with Zack Polanski’s Green Party over a conference motion describing Zionism as racism, which he called antisemitic. His statement matters amid speculation about an early election and the prospect of coalition government, particularly as he has also called for a more proportional electoral system.
At Prime Minister’s Questions, Burnham said Labour could not support a partnership with a party that had adopted the position. The motion, passed at the Greens’ conference in Manchester, was also criticised by former leader Caroline Lucas and Green MPs; Polanski opposed changing it but rejected claims that it was antisemitic. He missed the vote while campaigning in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election, which Labour’s Sagal Abdi-Wali won.
- Burnham ruled out a Labour partnership with the Greens over the motion.
- He called the motion describing Zionism as racism antisemitic.
- The statement comes amid coalition speculation and calls for electoral reform.
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Andy Burnham is the Labour mayor of Greater Manchester, while Zack Polanski leads the Green Party. The Greens are a separate party from Labour, and their conference is where members debate and vote on party policy.
Zionism is the movement supporting a Jewish homeland in Israel; views differ over its meaning and how it relates to Israeli government policies. The Greens passed a motion describing Zionism as racism, a position criticised by some figures in the party as well as by Burnham.
The dispute comes as politicians discuss the possibility of an early election and whether parties might govern together. Burnham has also argued for changing the UK’s voting system to make election results more closely reflect the share of votes parties receive.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Burnham’s position can be defended as a matter of principle: a party considering government should not enter a partnership with a party whose adopted motion it regards as antisemitic, especially when Jewish people’s safety and equal treatment are at stake. Drawing a clear line may also press the Greens to reconsider language that critics say conflates Jewish national self-determination with racism, while making coalition commitments transparent to voters.
The case against
The Greens’ position can be defended as criticism of a political ideology and its consequences for Palestinians, rather than hostility towards Jewish people; Polanski rejected the charge of antisemitism, and other prominent Greens also criticised the motion. On this view, ruling out cooperation over a contested conference resolution risks treating the party as defined by one motion and narrowing the scope for future policy agreements, particularly when Burnham has advocated a more proportional electoral system.