Zack Polanski hits out at Labour’s decision to end council power-sharing deals with Greens over Zionism motion
The Green Party leader accused Burnham of being more interested in ‘protecting a genocide in Israel’ than working constructively with his party
The Green Party leader Zack Polanski has hit out at Labour’s decision to end power-sharing agreements with the Greens in 11 local councils over its Zionism is racism motion.
Speaking to Nick Robinson on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme this morning, Polanski accused Labour of having the “audacity” to refuse to work with the Greens while “continuing to arm a genocide”.
Labour has pulled out of several council coalition deals with the Greens after the national party passed a motion at its annual party conference in October, which brands Zionism as a racist ideology.
The motion also called for the establishment of a single democratic state for Palestinians.
Labour said it would withdraw from local council administrations if local Green groups did not disown the motion.
Since then, Labour pulled out of power-sharing agreements with the Green Party in 11 local councils.
Labour Party chair Bridget Phillipson said this was because the policy “crosses a line and we cannot work with any party that supports it – at any level of government”.
Robinson put it to Polanski that the Greens were “paying the price” in the polls and practically, in terms of power-sharing agreements for the Zionism is racism motion.
The BBC journalist said: “The Labour Party say they will just not work with a party, with a leader who insists that the view of two thirds of British Jews is racist.”
In response, the Green Party leader commented: “Well the audacity of a Labour government who are continuing to arm a genocide to lecture local power agreements about working with or without the Green Party.”
Polanski added: “I think it will be odd to people across this country that their bins might not be collected or their services might be under pressure because Andy Burnham is more interested in protecting a genocide in Israel than working constructively and collaboratively with another party.”
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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