South Yorkshire mayor says "principles matter in politics" amid Labour and Green 'Zionism is Racism' row
“Like so many Jewish people, I was deeply hurt by the decision of the Green Party Conference to support the motion that declares ‘Zionism is racism’”
South Yorkshire’s mayor has called on local Green councillors to “find the courage” to oppose a controversial motion on Zionism, saying: “Principles matter in politics.”
Mayor Oliver Coppard has spoken out as discussions around the Greens’ controversial ‘Zionism is Racism’ motion continue.
Passed at the party’s national conference in Brighton on Sunday, October 4, the decision has faced criticism from across the political spectrum, with Prime Minister Andy Burnham calling it “wrong” and “antisemitic” at PMQs on Wednesday, October 14.
“Like so many Jewish people, I was deeply hurt by the decision of the Green Party Conference to support the motion that declares ‘Zionism is racism’,” Mayor Coppard added.
“No one of good conscience can be anything but appalled by the violence of Hamas and the current Israeli government. But the motion defining Zionism as racism does nothing to address the ongoing crisis in the Middle East or the suffering of the people of Israel or Palestine.
“That motion supports the extreme position of a one state solution to the historic challenges in the Middle East, and casts the vast majority of both Jewish and non-Jewish people who do support the idea of a two state solution as racist. “
The future of Sheffield City Council’s leadership arrangement between Labour and the Green Party has been put in doubt over the ongoing controversy.
Sheffield Labour leader Fran Belbin has called the motion “shameful and antisemitic" and has called on the city’s Green contingent to “publicly reject this motion” if their joint administration of the council is to continue.
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Mayor Coppard has backed Coun Belbin’s calls, going on to say: “I am only stepping into this row because that has the potential to impact South Yorkshire, and the leadership agreement in place in Sheffield.
“As hard as that is, I believe it is the right decision. Principles matter in politics.
“So I do hope that Green councillors locally, including the many people I would be proud to call friends, can quickly find the courage to make clear that they do not support that position.
“Every day that the Green Party in Sheffield fails to recognise the impact their new policy has had on Jewish people and community relations here undermines not only their own standing but this city’s proud tradition as a diverse, welcoming and tolerant place. They will also be robbing Sheffield of the stable leadership the city needs, and were promised.
“I would therefore urge them to change course. The Labour Party worked through its problems with antisemitism the hard way. I can only hope the Green Party learns that lesson more swiftly.”