National Labour Party calls for an end to local arrangements with Greens unless they reject Zionism motion
The Labour Party chairwoman said local Greens should respond “as a matter of urgency”
Chaos could be on the horizon for Sheffield Council after the chair of the national Labour Party called for local ties with Greens to end unless they reject a controversial motion on Zionism.
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Sheffield City Council is currently led by Labour and Green groups in a joint administration, decided after the May local elections.
Today, (October 15) the national Labour Party chairwoman, Bridget Phillipson said local arrangements with Greens will end unless they reject the “Zionism Is Racism” motion.
The motion was approved at the Green Party conference earlier this month, to formally establish it as an anti-Zionist party.
However, the motion has received widespread criticism for being antisemitic.
Ms Phillipson 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.”
Yesterday (October 14) at Prime Minister's Questions Andy Burnham "unequivocally" condemned the Green Party motion.
He said: "It is wrong, it is antisemitic, and Labour members will have nothing to do with it."
Councillor Fran Belbin is the Labour leader of Sheffield council, with councillor Angela Argenzio as the leader of the Green Group.
Coun Belbin has been approached for a response.
Coun Argenzio previously spoke on the motion and said: "On behalf of your local Green councillors, I can say unequivocally that we do not, and will not, conflate either Zionism and Judaism, nor anti-Zionism with antisemitism.
"Criticism of a political ideology is not, and cannot be allowed to become, hostility towards Jewish people.
"The Green Party is committed to being an anti-racist party in every way."