Labour gives local Greens seven days to reject contested Zionism policy
Labour has given Green Party branches in local government seven days to reject the party’s “Zionism is racism” policy or face the end of power-sharing arrangements. Labour says it expects local Greens to disavow the position and urge their national leadership to reconsider it.
The motion calls for Israel to be treated like apartheid South Africa and has been criticised as anti-Semitic. A Daily Mail analysis says up to nine council administrations could be affected if agreements end. The Equality and Human Rights Commission has written to the Green Party about the motion; the Greens say Labour is conflating criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism.
- Labour gives local Green branches seven days to respond.
- Up to nine council administrations could be affected.
- The equality watchdog has written to the Greens about the policy.
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The Labour Party and the Green Party are separate political parties that sometimes share control of councils through local agreements. These arrangements can help them pass decisions and run council services together.
The dispute centres on a Green Party policy describing Zionism as racism. Zionism is a movement supporting a homeland for Jewish people in Israel; views differ over how it relates to Israel’s policies and Palestinian rights. Critics say the policy is anti-Semitic, while the Greens say criticism of Israel should not be conflated with hostility towards Jewish people.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission is Britain’s equality watchdog, which has contacted the Green Party about the motion. The row matters because it could affect cooperation between the parties on councils and has raised questions about how political parties distinguish criticism of a state from prejudice against a community.
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The case for
Labour can argue that the motion’s wording and comparison risk treating Zionism, a diverse political movement, as inherently racist and may make Jewish residents feel their identity or safety is being dismissed. Setting a deadline gives local partners a clear chance to distance themselves from language Labour considers discriminatory and to press their national party to reconsider it.
The case against
The Greens can argue that condemning Zionism or comparing Israeli policy with apartheid is political criticism of a state and ideology, not hostility towards Jewish people, and that conflating the two can chill legitimate debate. They may also see Labour’s ultimatum as using local governing arrangements to pressure elected representatives over a national party position before the equality concerns have been resolved.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Labour threatens to end power-sharing deals with the Green Party over ‘Zionism is racism’ policy”.