Labour calls for termination of Green Party coalitions
Labour has instructed all of its local councils sharing power with the Green Party to terminate their partnerships unless local Greens condemn a motion declaring ‘Zionism is racism’, reports BritPanorama.
On Wednesday, Andy Burnham ruled out future power-sharing deals with the Green Party, although the implications for existing local council arrangements remained unclear at that time.
Labour has now directed its councils in joint administrations with Zack Polanski’s party to “review” their partnerships. If Green groups fail to issue a “clear and unambiguous statement” condemning the motion within seven days, their local power-sharing arrangements will be dissolved.
Labour Party chairwoman Bridget Phillipson stated: “The prime minister has been completely clear: this policy is wrong and antisemitic, and has no place in British politics.”
Phillipson further commented, “Where local Labour Parties currently have an arrangement with the Greens in local government, we expect their Green counterparts to make clear that they reject this position and to call on their national leadership to reconsider the policy.”
This ultimatum affects 17 councils across England and one in Wales, with Labour urging their Green counterparts to call on the party’s national leaders to condemn the motion.
Phillipson emphasised the urgency of the situation: “We have asked local Green groups to respond as a matter of urgency. Where they are unable to provide that assurance, Labour will bring any such local arrangement to an end. This isn’t an issue of party politics; it’s about doing what is right and upholding the values anyone holding public office should share.”
She concluded, “The Labour Party fought hard to address antisemitism within our own party and ensure it had no place in our politics. We have a responsibility to uphold those same standards in our relationships with other parties.”
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