Andy Burnham has ruled out a formal coalition between Labour and the Green Party while the Greens continue to classify Zionism as a form of racism.
Speaking in the House of Commons, the Prime Minister described the Green Party’s recent policy motion as “wrong” and “antisemitic,” stating unequivocally that Labour would not enter into any partnership with a party holding such a position.
The motion, passed at the Green Party’s autumn conference, argues that Zionism is an ideology rooted in ethnonationalism that supports “a Jewish state in historic Palestine to the exclusion and/or domination of the non-Jewish population.” It further asserts that “the displacement and genocide of the Palestinian people is clearly underpinned by racist ideology.”The language prompted swift condemnation from several Jewish organizations, as well as four sitting Green MPs and two former party leaders. One former leader called the motion “dangerous” and “divisive,” raising concerns about its impact on community relations and political discourse.
Despite the backlash, Green Party leader Zack Polanski maintained that the core premise of the motion was self-evident, describing it as “imperfect” but defensible. He emphasized that opposition to what he characterized as systemic injustice against Palestinians remained a central tenet of Green policy.
The motion now stands as official party policy, though it is not expected to feature explicitly in the Green Party’s manifesto ahead of the next general election.
The issue was raised during Prime Minister’s Questions by Conservative MP Dame Harriett Baldwin, who urged Burnham to publicly commit to ruling out cooperation with the Green Party. Burnham responded by condemning the motion without reservation and reaffirming Labour’s stance on maintaining ethical standards in cross-party collaboration.
While Labour currently shares power with the Greens on certain local councils, including in Sheffield, Downing Street did not clarify whether the Prime Minister’s position applies solely at the national level or extends to local-level alliances.
In the wake of the controversy, some within the Green Party have called for reforms to the party’s policy-making structures. MP Ellie Chowns told the BBC that allowing a major policy decision to be determined by such a small proportion of members—around 0.4% of the party’s 230,000-strong membership—reveals flaws in current procedures.
The motion passed with 1,022 votes to 813, reflecting a narrow margin among those who participated in the vote. Lubna Speitan, a prominent supporter of the motion, argued that defining Zionism as racist aligns with broader efforts to challenge “racist systems of oppression,” adding: “We stand united against all forms of racism and discrimination – no exemptions.”