Reform UK calls on Sheffield Labour to distance itself from "wildly left-wing Green Party"
“The Green Party has crossed a line in British politics with a blatantly racist stance on Jews”
Reform UK’s Sheffield contingent are calling on Labour to distance themselves from the Green Party in light of what they call a “blatantly racist” motion.
Councillor John Hesketh has put forward his criticisms amid rows between Sheffield City Council’s Labour and Green leadership.
Labour leader Fran Belbin has threatened to bring an end to the two party’s current leadership arrangement unless the Greens denounce what she has called the “shameful and antisemitic" ‘Zionism is Racism’ motion.
The motion - describes Israel as an apartheid state and calls on the creation of a single democratic Palestinian nation across “all of historic Palestine” - was passed at the party’s national conference in Brighton on Sunday, October 4 and quickly received reaction from across the political spectrum.
Coun Hesketh - who represents the Stocksbridge and Upper Don ward - said that it’s time the Green and Labour joint leadership in Sheffield ends, claiming it has “cost our city dearly”.
“The Green Party has crossed a line in British politics with a blatantly racist stance on Jews via its recent conference motion branding the state of Israel fair game for those who wish to obliterate the Jewish homeland,” the leader of Sheffield’s Reform UK councillors group added.
“The refusal by the Green Party leader, Zack Polanski, to condemn his own toxic party simply adds to the distaste all fair-minded Britons feel about the political direction of Britain’s so-called environmental party.
“But what about here in Sheffield, where the Labour party relies on Green Party votes to run the council? Waiting until the Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, called for Labour/Green Party town hall coalitions to be questioned, Sheffield Labour leader, Coun Fran Belbin, has been underwhelming in her condemnation of the party that keeps her in power in Sheffield.
“We in Reform have no qualms about criticising both the Green Party and Labour in Sheffield. It has been crystal clear at Sheffield town hall for some time that the close working relationship between Labour and the Green Party has cost our city dearly.
“The fingerprints of left-wing ideas promoted by both the Green Party and Labour can be seen on Sheffield streets and the pristine countryside around our city.”
Sheffield’s Reform UK contingent has vocally opposed the controversial Local Plan, which has earmarked 14 green belt sites for housing or industrial development.
In September, Coun Belbin asked the Government to rethink this controversial plan, based on statutory requirements set down by national government.
At the time, she said: “We're working within quite a difficult, imperfect framework that really constrains some of the decisions that we can take.”
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However, Coun Hesketh claims that many council decisions have already been influenced by “looney left-wing ideas”, saying it’s time that Labour cut the Greens out of leadership.
“For several years, Labour in Sheffield has been happy to rely on Green Party support for looney left-wing ideas on traffic regulation – why on Earth does our city have so many bus lanes, blocked roads, congestion charges, parking restrictions, ultra-low 20mph zones and all the other measures throttling Sheffield?” Coun Hesketh continued.
“It’s all very well Labour’s town hall leader distancing herself from the Green Party on international relations. But Reform UK councillors at the town hall are calling on Labour leader, Coun Fran Belbin, to ditch the long list of madcap Green Party ideas on traffic regulation, greenbelt choices, and numerous other policy areas.
“Only then will we know Labour in Sheffield is serious about distancing itself from the wildly left-wing Green Party.”