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A Green Party MP has said the party must avoid being ‘vulnerable to capture by extremists and racists’ after members voted to call Zionism a form of racism. Source: bbc.co.uk.
What Happened
At its conference earlier this month, the Green Party of England and Wales approved a motion stating that Zionism is an ethnonationalist ideology and a form of racism.
Westminster leader Ellie Chowns called the policy ‘significant and damaging’. She said she would work to reform the party and stressed it does not reflect the views of most members or the public.
Key Facts
- The motion defines Zionism as supporting ‘an ethnonationalist Jewish state’.
- It supports a ‘single democratic Palestinian state in all of historic Palestine’, including modern-day Israel.
- Leader Zack Polanski, who is Jewish, said he would not have voted for the motion but backed an amended version.
- The motion was one of dozens debated at the party’s biggest conference.
How the Motion Developed
The motion began with activist groups and was formally adopted after conference debate.
Ex-leader Caroline Lucas said the party’s constitution dates back decades. She said the party has not yet evolved to guard against ‘entryism’ — when people join to change policy. She urged the party to become more welcoming to Jewish members.
Why It Matters
Jewish groups like the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council criticized the motion. They say Zionism is anti-racist, offering a refuge for Jews after centuries of persecution.
Chowns said the motion distracts from the party’s real work on Palestinian rights and human rights. She believes a policy passed by just 0.4% of members shows a failure in the party’s decision-making process.
What Comes Next
After losing in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election, Green Party leader Polanski faced renewed scrutiny.
Leader of the Jewish Greens, Vivien Lichtenstein, said it was a ‘big mistake’ for Polanski to skip the debate on the motion.
Polanski said he will stay in leadership and has not questioned the motion’s legitimacy. He said he will ‘work urgently’ to address the crisis.
Support for the Green Party has grown since Polanski’s leadership bid in May 2025.
The issue highlights tensions over how the party balances advocacy for Palestinian rights with views on race, identity, and ideology.
Member Ashok Kumar of the Greens for Palestine group said the motion reflects growing awareness of Palestinian suffering. He argued the ‘Zionist position’ is now marginal, not central.
A Green Party spokesperson said: ‘Unlike other political parties, our members can bring and set policy.’ This motion was one of many discussed at the party’s biggest conference. Every motion undergoes debate, and no single group controls policy.
