Lewes Greens reject party's Zionism motion to preserve Labour coalition

Summarised from 3 outlets · 4 reports · Updated 21 Oct, 12:32 · Archive

Lewes District Green councillors have rejected their national party's 'Zionism is racism' motion to protect their Labour coalition.

Green councillors in Lewes have rejected a national party motion linking Zionism with racism, passed at the Green Party's conference in Brighton on October 4. The decision came after Labour's national leadership warned that local council partnerships with the Greens should end unless Green councillors condemned the policy, following accusations that the motion was antisemitic.

Lewes District Council is one of three councils nationally jointly run by Labour and the Greens, alongside Warwick and Sheffield. For Lewes, neither party has a majority on its own, so their collaboration is required to maintain control of the council.

Following Labour's challenge, Lewes District Green councillors said in an open letter to their Labour colleagues: 'As a local councillor group we do not support the motion.' They stated: 'Lewes District Green Party utterly condemns antisemitism and all forms of racism, discrimination and bigotry' and affirmed they 'wholeheartedly support the rights of Jewish and Palestinian people equally.' Some individual Green councillors criticised Labour for requiring them to disavow the motion to continue their collaboration.

Lewes Greens reject party's Zionism motion to preserve Labour coalition — Image: The Argus

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How it is being reported

Councillor appears to back controversial motion as Labour deadline loomsA councillor appears to have publicly backed a national Green Party policy before a Labour-imposed deadline for his council to disavow it.The Argus · 21 Oct, 13:24
Greens committed to supporting everyone ‘regardless of their background, nationality or faith’None of the Green members of West Sussex County Council voted in favour of their Party’s motion that declared Zionism a form of racism, councillors have been told.Chichester Observer · 21 Oct, 12:55
Lewes District Green councillors write to Labour colleagues about future of working together following controversy over national Green Party’s Zionism policyThe Lewes District Green Party says its councillors have written an open letter to their Labour colleagues calling for ‘dialogue’ about the future of joint working at Lewes District Council (LDC).Sussex Express · 21 Oct, 12:03
Lewes Greens reject ‘Zionism is Racism’ motion as Labour coalition hangs in balanceLewes Green councillors reject the Green Party’s ‘Zionism is racism’ motion passed on October 4, amid Labour demands over antisemitism.The Argus · 21 Oct, 05:00

In this story: Lewes District Council · Green Party · Labour Party · Lewes · Brighton · Warwick · Sheffield

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