Andy Burnham has ruled out a future deal with the Green Party, branding them “antisemitic” over a motion passed at the conference last week, reports BritPanorama.
During prime minister’s questions, Mr Burnham was challenged by Tory MP Dame Harriet Baldwin on whether he would rule out any future power-sharing deal after the next election.
Dame Harriet pointed out that Tory leader Kemi Badenoch had ruled out any deal with Reform UK after she labelled their comments on Englishness as racist, a stance praised earlier in PMQs by Mr Burnham.
She claimed that the Green motion describing “zionism as racism” was antisemitic and called on Mr Burnham to follow suit by ruling out a deal with them.
Mr Burnham said: “Can I condemn the motion that was passed unequivocally? It is wrong. It is antisemitic, and this side of the House will have nothing to do with it.”
He added, “And we will always take the right response when it comes to any partnerships we have with other parties. We cannot support a partnership with a party that holds a position that has recently been adopted.”
The urgency surrounding the issue is heightened by the possibility of an early election, with polls suggesting a centre-left coalition is the most likely outcome.
In his conference speech, Mr Burnham also expressed his intention to advocate for electoral reform towards a more proportional system, which would likely lead to future governments being coalitions.
His comments were well-received amid growing pressure within Labour for a definitive statement on the Greens.
Ben Judah, a former adviser to David Lammy in the Foreign Office, stated: “It is hugely welcome that Andy Burnham appears to have ruled out a partnership with the Green Party as long as they subscribe to this policy that has caused such shock and distress in the Jewish community.”
Adam Langleben, executive director of Progress, concurred, asserting that the motion is the most antisemitic motion passed by any major political party in Europe, ever. He criticized Zack Polanski for lacking the leadership needed to address this issue.
The motion passed by the Greens at their conference in Manchester has drawn condemnation from former party leader Caroline Lucas and several of the party’s current MPs.
Mr Polanski faced criticism for not demonstrating leadership on the matter, having failed to vote due to his campaign in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election, which he lost to Labour’s Sagal Abdi-Wali.
While Mr Polanski sought to amend the controversial motion, he has resisted claims that it is antisemitic. Earlier this week, he expressed on social media: “As a British Jew, I’m deeply concerned about the cynical blurring of Zionism & Judaism. Whatever our political differences, Jewish people must never face prejudice or discrimination. So after the Labour Government apologised over Gaza: why are they still arming Israel?”
