The Labour Party has today (Thursday 15 October) asked all Labour
Groups currently in power-sharing arrangements with the Green
Party in local government to review those arrangements and seek
clear assurances from their Green counterparts. This follows the
Green Party adopting the Zionism is Racism motion as official
Party policy at its conference in Brighton.
Labour groups have been asked to write to their local Green Party
leadership, if they have not already done so, seeking a clear and
unambiguous statement that they reject the Zionism is Racism
policy, and confirmation that they will call on their party's
national leadership to reconsider it. Any response from local
Green groups must be received within seven days of receiving the
letter. If these conditions are not met, any local power sharing
arrangement will end.
Yesterday at Prime Minister's Questions, Prime Minister Andy
made clear that the Green Party's
policy is wrong, it is antisemitic and this side of the House
will have nothing to do with it. He said that we will always take
the right response when it comes to any partnerships we have with
other parties, and that the Labour Party cannot support a
partnership with a party that holds a position that has recently
been adopted. Labour's position is that these principles should
apply consistently at every level of government.
Shortly after the motion was adopted as Green Party policy at the
party's conference, Labour condemned it, saying it crossed a
line. The response from the Green Party leadership since then has
not provided the clarity Labour believes is needed. Today's
action is intended to give local Green groups an opportunity to
make their position clear and demonstrate that they do not
support the policy.
MP, Chair of the Labour
Party, said:
The Prime Minister has been completely clear: this policy is
wrong and antisemitic, and has no place in British politics.
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.
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.
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.
