Green Party leader rejects exclusion after Zionism motion sparks backlash

The Green Party's conference in Brighton last Sunday produced a motion that has fractured the party and drawn formal complaints to Britain's equality watchdog. Members voted 1,022 to 813 to adopt a policy declaring Zionism—defined as support for an ethnonationalist Jewish state—a form of racism. The motion also backs the establishment of a single democratic Palestinian state across all of historic Palestine. Four of the party's five elected MPs opposed the measure. Leader Zack Polanski did not vote.

The backlash arrived swiftly. More than a dozen Labour MPs, coordinated by former Home Office minister Mike Tapp, filed complaints with the Equality and Human Rights Commission on Monday, arguing the motion raised "serious questions" about whether Jewish members could participate freely in the party without fear of disciplinary action based on their religious affiliations or attendance at Zionist synagogues. Nine Labour MPs separately referred the party to Sussex Police, requesting investigation into whether the motion constituted antisemitic offences warranting criminal inquiry.

The motion itself contains stark language. It describes what it calls "the real, material, manifestation of Zionism" as "the historic and ongoing dehumanisation, displacement, dispossession, disenfranchisement and destruction of Palestinians." This framing—equating an ideology with a set of historical and contemporary actions—sits at the center of the dispute. Jewish groups have characterized the motion as an attack on their community. Israel's foreign ministry responded by banning Polanski from the country.

Polanski, who is Jewish, broke his silence on Tuesday with a lengthy statement. He said he would not accept the exclusion of any party member "because of the religious or communal body they are part of." He pledged that "no-one will be made unwelcome because of their background, their faith, or where they worship." He also drew a distinction he said must always hold: "antisemitism and criticism of the Israeli state are, and must always be, completely distinct."

The European Green Party, the umbrella organization of which the British Greens are a member, moved to distance itself from the motion on Monday. It said it wanted to "unequivocally distance" itself and would demand clarity from the party's leadership on how it would protect Jewish people and self-determination. A Green Party spokesperson responded that the party remained committed to its Code of Conduct and its duties under the Equality Act, and that it would continue to be "a safe place for all members."

The vote itself exposes a structural tension within the party. Polanski has significantly enlarged the membership base since taking the leadership—the party now has more than 200,000 members. Yet fewer than 1% of them participated in the Sunday vote, according to Green MP Ellie Chowns. She told BBC Radio 4 she was "deeply saddened" the motion had become policy, though she disagreed it was antisemitic, framing it instead as "principled opposition to the actions of the Israeli government." She called for a review of how the party makes policy.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission, which previously found failings in how Labour handled antisemitism, said it would "consider each complaint carefully" but had not launched an investigation. The commission reminded all political parties of their obligations under the Equality Act 2010 to avoid discrimination. Sussex Police has not yet commented on the referral.

What remains unresolved is whether the party's leadership can navigate between its stated commitment to protecting all members and the policy its membership has now adopted. The motion stands as party position. The complaints are now in motion. The divisions between the party's enlarged membership base and its elected representatives remain visible and unhealed.