Full Breakdown
The Green Party’s “Zionism is Racism” Motion and Its Political Fallout
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
At its Brighton conference, the Green Party of England and Wales adopted a binding policy that defines Zionism as a form of racism and calls for a single democratic Palestinian state across historic Palestine. The motion passed 1,022 votes to 813. Party leader Zack Polanski left the chamber early to campaign in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election. Israel’s foreign ministry announced that Polanski is barred from entering Israel. The motion has triggered calls for legal action under the Equality Act 2010 and condemnation from foreign governments, European Green parties, and several UK Jewish organisations.
Background & Context
The Greens use a direct-democracy model where members decide policy at conferences. Membership more than tripled after Polanski’s 2025 election as leader, but only about 0.4 % of the 230,000-strong party voted on the motion. Four of the party’s five MPs opposed the resolution, highlighting internal dissent. The motion arrives as the party pours resources into the Holborn and St Pancras by-election, a seat formerly held by Sir Keir Starmer and now contested by Polanski.
Official Statements & Responses
- Polanski said antisemitism and criticism of the Israeli state are “completely distinct” and pledged to keep party members safe.
- Labour chair Bridget Phillipson called the motion “shameful,” arguing it undermines Labour’s recent antisemitism work.
- The European Green Party distanced itself from the UK Greens, reaffirming support for a two-state solution.
Criticism & Opposition
- “I’m deeply saddened that this motion has been passed. It doesn’t reflect my view, or long-standing Green principles of equal rights for all communities,” — Mr Ramsay.
- Jewish groups such as the Board of Deputies and the Jewish Leadership Council called the policy an “attack on the Jewish community” and “poisonous antisemitism.”
- European Greens described the resolution as “intolerable and unacceptable,” noting it runs contrary to their stance on Israel’s right to exist.
On-the-Ground Reports
Local voters in Holborn and St Pancras voiced concerns that dominate the by-election campaign:
- Cost-of-living pressures – rising energy prices and under-investment in adult social care.
- Climate and development – activists such as Dorothea Hackman argued HS2’s removal of green space must be fully compensated.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- The likelihood of a successful legal challenge remains untested.
- The net effect on future membership numbers is unclear.
- Coalition prospects: Labour senior figures say a future coalition with the Greens is “very unlikely,” while Polanski has floated the possibility of an alliance with an Andy Burnham-led Labour government.
What’s Next
- Thursday: Voters in Holborn and St Pancras will choose a new MP; the result will test whether the motion harms the Greens’ electoral prospects.
- Legal challenge: Green members are consulting lawyers about a potential Equality Act claim; no court date has been set.
- Party governance review: Leadership is expected to consider reforms to its member-led policy process before the next annual conference.
- International relations: The European Green Party has demanded clarification from the UK Greens, and Israel’s ban on Polanski remains in force.